RollerCoaster Tycoon
RollerCoaster Tycoon or RCT is a series of computer games which simulate amusement park management. Each game in the series challenges players with open-ended amusement park management and development, and also allows players to construct and customise their own unique rollercoasters.
The first game of the series was developed by designer and programmer Chris Sawyer, artist Simon Foster and composer Allister Brimble. It was published by Hasbro Interactive (which was sold to Infogrames, and is now known as Atari). The game was a sleeper hit. It spawned two sequels and several expansion packs.
Games in the series
The series includes:
- RollerCoaster Tycoon (1999)
- Expansion Corkscrew Follies (or Added Attractions) (1999)
- Expansion Loopy Landscapes (2000)
- Compilation Roller Coaster Tycoon: Gold (2002); Includes original game and both expansions
- Compilation Roller Coaster Tycoon: Deluxe (2003); Includes original game and both expansions
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 (2002)
- Expansion Wacky Worlds (2003)
- Expansion Time Twister (2003)
- Compilation Roller Coaster Tycoon 2: Combo Park Pack (2003); Includes original game and Wacky Worlds expansion
- Compilation Roller Coaster Tycoon 2: Triple Thrill Pack (2004); Includes original game and both expansions
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 (2004)
- Expansion Soaked! (2005)
- Expansion Wild! (2005)
- Compilation Roller Coaster Tycoon 3: Gold (2005); Includes original game and Soaked! expansion
Game description
The player is given control over an amusement park and is tasked with reaching particular goals, such as improving the park's value, popularity, or 'satisfaction rating'. Some scenarios in the game provide an empty plot of land and allow the player to build a park from scratch, while others provide a ready-built park which usually suffers from deterioration, bad planning, or underdevelopment. The player must wisely invest the limited amount of money provided.
Most scenarios require that the goals be achieved for a specific in-game date, otherwise the scenario is not 'complete'. Completion of scenarios is a prerequisite for unlocking further scenarios.
The game provides extensive customization for all rides, particularly rollercoasters, which can take any path the player wishes (subject to game logic). Other 'track'-based rides such as log-flumes can be similarly customized.
The player is also responsible for building park infrastructure and beautification, such as paths, landscaping and facilities such as lamps, toilets, rubbish bins, benches, food stalls and fountains.
The guests, which are integral to the gameplay, are treated as separate entities which can each have particular characteristics and be tracked by the player around the park. Their characteristics include ride preferences and nausea tolerance. Some scenarios are biased towards a specific guest demographic and require the player to take this into account in designing the park.
Players may invest in 'research' which results in new rides being available for construction.
Sequels have since improved on the limitations of the first game in the series, which include:
- Poor guest AI
- Absence of a sandbox mode (although some players worked around this with the use of trainers)
- Inadequate control over the passage of in-game time
Additionally, sequels have continually upgraded the number of rides and amount of customization available to the player.
| RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 | |
|---|---|
| File:Rct2 triplethrillpack.jpgFile:RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 - Deluxe Edition.jpg Both versions shown includes RCT2 & both expansions. The one on the left is sold in the United States and Canada, and the one on the right is for Europe. | |
| Developer(s) | Chris Sawyer |
| Publisher(s) | Infogrames Interactive, later Atari |
| Designer(s) | Chris Sawyer |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | October 15, 2002 (NA) |
| Genre(s) | Strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
RollerCoaster Tycoon
Chris Sawyer wrote RollerCoaster Tycoon entirely in complex assembly language, very unusual for a game of this complexity. Just a small portion of C was used to interface with the Windows operating system, the rest was coded in assembly.
The game was to be called White Knuckle for the majority of the game's development. However, to follow the tradition of the Tycoon titles, the game was renamed accordingly. It was released on March 31, 1999.
There are two expansion packs: Corkscrew Follies (or added attractions in the UK). This contains mainly new rides and attractions as well as new scenarios (released November 9, 1999) and Loopy Landscapes (released September 30, 2000). This pack heavily focuses on landscaping the parks, and also includes recreations of real parks such as Alton Towers and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. This expansion pack also contains new scenarios.
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg?lang=en){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. |
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
The first sequel for the series was released October 1, 2002. Initially, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 wasn't entirely popular with fans as the game engine and interface was the same, with no improvement on graphics either. Nevertheless the game proved successful and attracted more people to the series, revitalizing the older fan base. The game even sold more copies than any other PC game for the year it was released.
One feature that proved to be quite popular was the addition of the ability to import and use user-created scenery items. Players could now create anything their imaginations could come up with. Another popular feature was a scenario editor. Players could select a goal with no time restraints, creating a primitive sandbox mode. The game is also licensed by Six Flags to include scenarios based on five of their real parks. Furthermore, many popular rides in Six Flags theme parks can be used in RollerCoaster Tycoon 2.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, as of 2005, has been the most successful RollerCoaster Tycoon series game. This game would be the last game of its series with strict viewpoints. In RCT3, loose perspectives can be operated.
The two expansions for RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, Wacky Worlds (released May 8, 2003) and Time Twister (released October 222003), were heavily criticized because although they both added additional scenery items and scenarios, they provided no new rides. On the contrary, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3's expansion packs do not follow this pattern.
An unofficial expansion set for RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, called the UCES (User Created Expansion Set), featuring custom scenery, rides, and scenarios made by fans, was released in 2003 as a free download.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
A third iteration of the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, was released in November 2004. The game marks the series' shift to fully 3D graphics, and allows players to 'ride' their own creations. The game also includes full lighting effects and day-night cycles, creation of fireworks displays, and the use of custom music tracks for in-game sound and music on rides. The guests have been significantly improved on those of RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, with enhanced AI, appearance variation, and the ability of guests to be grouped together into families, dates, and other types of groups.
| RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 | |
|---|---|
| UK cover UK cover for Soaked! expansion (Note: These covers are for the United Kingdom (or Europe). US cover illustration in the retailers differ.) | |
| Developer(s) | Frontier Developments |
| Publisher(s) | Atari |
| Platform(s) | Mac OS X, Windows |
| Release | October 26, 2004 (NA) November 5, 2004 (EU) |
| Genre(s) | Strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Although RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is based primarily on the previous two games, Chris Sawyer himself was only involved at a 'consulting' level and was not one of the programmers. A patch is available on a number of sites that fixes the inordinate number of bugs found in the first release (some reviewers, such as PC Gamer, have gone as far as to call the initial release a beta).
The game was developed by Frontier Developments.
Expansions
The first expansion pack for RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, called Soaked!, was released on June 21, 2005. It features new rides and attractions as well as water-themed parks. Other features include swimming pools, flumes, fountains, diving boards, hot tubs, showers and lounge chairs. Also included were water shows with dolphins and killer whales, allowing the creation of parks similar to SeaWorld. Overall, there are an additional 50 new rides, including White Water Rapids and Giant Flume.
The second expansion, Wild!, featured animal enclosures and safari-like attractions. It was released on October 25, 2005.
Controversy
Many members of the Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 community were not happy with Frontier Developments taking over for Chris Sawyer for this version. Many people felt that the game was developed poorly, featured an outragious number of bugs, that it didn't have a good variety of new rides, and that Frontier didn't listen to the community on some aspects of the game.
Some people did, however, defend Frontier Developments' work on the game by pointing out that Chris Sawyer rarely participated in or listened to the community, and saying that he would've most likely kept the game 2D, such as Rollercoaster Tycoon 2.
Cheats
While there are many cheats available on the PC version of RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 (such as giving an unlimited lift hill speed to a coaster), the PC versions of RollerCoaster Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 contain no cheats without hacking programs or "trainers," which are programs that alter the game's memory while running, for example, to give yourself extra money. However, as an Easter egg, you can give guests certain names which, for example, makes them drive faster on Go Cart rides or appear to take pictures or paint, but these do not help at all with gameplay, or winning levels. You can do this by renaming a guest to a certain name. The RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 cheats are also entered this way.
Ports
Xbox
RollerCoaster Tycoon is now on the Xbox following its success on Windows. It includes the original RollerCoaster Tycoon, as well as both of the expansions.
A RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 port to the Xbox is currently in development.
Mac OS X
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 has been ported to Mac OS X. Earlier versions of the game however have not been ported, and due to heavy dependencies on the Windows platform it is unlikely that they will be. However, some Mac users have been able to successfully run the original RollerCoaster Tycoon on their machines using Virtual PC.
Screenshot gallery
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Xbox cover of RollerCoaster
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RollerCoaster Tycoon
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RollerCoaster Tycoon
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RollerCoaster Tycoon
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RollerCoaster Tycoon, Corkscrew Follies expansion
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RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
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RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, showing the Six Flags Magic Mountain scenario -
Game cover for RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, Wacky Worlds expansion
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Game cover for RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, Time Twister expansion
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UK cover of RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
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RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
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RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
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RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
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Game cover for RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, Wild! expansion
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RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, Soaked! expansion
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RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, Soaked! expansion
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Issues with Modern Operating Systems
Some users of Windows 2000 and Windows XP may find trouble when running the first game. These and other issues are fixed by the official patches. Users of Windows 98 may not need to update their game, but it is recommended.
The second game should work fine on computers running Windows 98 or higher, but should also download its official patch if they encounter problems starting the game; otherwise, the patch is not needed.
The third game, with its increased reliance on DirectX 3D rendering, puts additional strain upon graphics cards and their drivers. Although the distribution CD-ROM comes with updated ATI Technologies drivers, it is possible that users may need to visit their graphics card manufacturer's web site to get the latest drivers and thus ensure maximum system stability.
External links
Official
Community-based
- Australian Coaster Tycoons - An Australian site focusing on RCT, RCT 2, RCT 3 with downloads, forums and more.
- The RollerCoaster Tycoon Series at MobyGames
- New Element - A competetive Park creation site.
- RCT2.com - Fan site.
- RCT3.us - A pure RCT3 and coaster fansite for RollerCoaster Tycoon3. Forums, files, news of some type daily on the main page.
- RCT3 & Co - Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 site with a growing community.
- RCT3X - A large RCT3 forum community and website, with the latest RCT3 news.
- RCTCompetition.com - One the biggest RCT sites for content and downloads
- RCTgo - Everything RCT, All the Time - Latest News, Screenshots, Info, Downloads, and Discussion Forums.
- RCT*Mart - A fan site with a huge forum devoted to the RCT series, as well as downloads and other content
- RCTPyro A fansite that focuses mainly on RCT3's fireworks system.
- RCTHQ - A large RCT3 community forum site.
- TycoonPlanet - Another large RollerCoaster Tycoon community
Specialty sites
- RCTPatch - Otherwise known in the RCT community as the "Drexler Patch", this unofficial patch allows the user to load "hacked" saved games (or those created with a trainer) in the expansion packs for the original game.
- RCT Technical Information Depot - A site based on the technical side of RCT for users who wish to develop third party modifications for the game, such as the User Created Expansion Set.
- Intermediate RCT Loopy Landscapes - A comprehensive reference site for the original RCT game, which includes many graphs, tables, test results and downloadable support files.