Welcome to another RimWorld guide! In this video, we will be discussing the importance of zones, how to create them, and which ones you should consider making. Zones in RimWorld are player-created sections of the map that can be used to restrict the movement of colonists and pets, which can contribute to their safety and happiness. So, let’s dive right into it!

Creating Zones

To create a zone in RimWorld, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the “Architect” tab.
  2. Click on the “Zone” button located in the top right corner.
  3. Go to “Expand Allowed Area” and click on “Manage Areas”.
  4. In the “Manage Areas” menu, you will see a list of all the current zones you have created.
  5. To create a new zone, simply click on “New Area”. The zone will appear in the list with a default name and a random color.
  6. You can rename the zone by clicking on “Rename”.
  7. If you want to invert the entire zone, click on “Invert”. This will be explained further in the article.
  8. To delete a zone, click on the red X next to its name.

Placing Zones

To place a zone and restrict colonists or pets to it, follow these steps:

  1. Go back to the “Expand Allowed Areas” menu.
  2. Instead of clicking on “Manage Areas”, click on the zone you want to place.
  3. Once you have selected the zone, you can drag its color over any area of the map where you want colonists and pets to be restricted to.
  4. The color overlay represents the allowed area, while any area not highlighted will be forbidden.

Restricting Colonists and Pets to Zones

To restrict colonists to a zone:

  1. Click on the “Restrict” button located at the bottom of the screen.
  2. Choose the zone you want to assign the colonists to.
  3. Hold down your left mouse button and drag the cursor to select all colonists if you want to assign the entire colony to a zone.

Restricting pets to a zone is done in a similar manner:

  1. Go to the “Animal” tab.
  2. Drag the cursor to select the pets you want to assign to a zone.
  3. Choose the desired zone.

Once someone or something has been restricted to a zone, they will not leave the zone unless you manually move them or they experience a breakdown. It’s important to note that if you restrict someone to a zone while they are performing a task, they will immediately drop it and go to the assigned zone. Additionally, if a colonist is restricted from an area, they cannot be assigned any jobs within that area.

Utilizing Different Types of Zones

There are various types of zones that you can use in RimWorld, depending on your needs and strategies. Here are some common examples:

Inside the Walls

One of the first zones you should create is the “Inside the Walls” zone. This defensive zone serves to quickly gather all your colonists and pets to the safety of your most defensible area. It can be activated in response to alerts for raids or dangerous wildlife.

Work Zone

Create a “Work Zone” to prevent colonists from running all over the map. Start by setting up a zone similar to the Inside the Walls zone, and then add additional areas where you want your colonists to perform specific tasks, such as mining or construction. You can easily restrict and clear zones as needed to control the work areas.

Avoid Danger Zone

The “Avoid Danger Zone” is used to forbid colonists and pets from going to dangerous places on the map. For example, you may want to restrict access to areas with remaining mech turrets or dangerous wildlife. You can use the invert button to select the entire map and then clear the allowed zone to specify areas that should be forbidden.

Grazing Animals Zone

Separate your grazing animals from hauling animals by creating a “Grazing Animals Zone”. This prevents them from tracking dirt and filth into your base, as well as consuming your crops or raiding your freezer.

Emergency or ER Zone

In case of severe injuries during combat, create an “Emergency or ER Zone” where injured colonists can be treated immediately without the need to carry them back to the base. This zone should be equipped with medical sleeping spots and other necessary furniture to provide basic medical care.

Animal Attack Zone

Use an “Animal Attack Zone” to strategically position animals to either attack or absorb hits from enemies. This can be particularly useful in defending against melee raids and can even help in defeating stronger opponents.

Fallout Zone

Experience toxic fallout? Create a “Fallout Zone” to keep your colonists and animals indoors, protecting them from the harmful effects. Make sure to provide an appropriate zone for your animals to ensure they have access to food.

Hospital Zone

To prevent hungry, injured colonists from wandering off and potentially starving to death, create a “Hospital Zone”. By restricting sick individuals to this zone, you can ensure they have access to food and prevent mood debuffs caused by hunger.

Conclusion

Zones in RimWorld are an essential tool for managing the movement and activities of your colonists and pets. By creating and utilizing zones effectively, you can improve the safety, happiness, and efficiency of your colony. Whether you choose to use only a few zones or micromanage each colonist with their own individual zone, experimenting with different setups can greatly enhance your gameplay experience. Have fun exploring the possibilities!

We hope you found this RimWorld Guide for Beginners+ helpful! Let us know in the comments what your must-have zone setups are for each run or if you have any other tips to share. If you enjoyed this guide and want to see more content like this, consider subscribing to our channel and hitting the like button. Thank you for watching!

Note: The transcript has been edited for clarity and coherence.