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RollerCoaster Tycoon (game)
Encyclopedia
RollerCoaster Tycoon is a construction and management simulation
video game that simulates theme park management. Developed by MicroProse
and Chris Sawyer
and published by Hasbro Interactive
, the game was released for Microsoft Windows
on March 31, 1999 and was later ported to the Xbox
game console. It is the first game in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series
and is followed by RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
, and the upcoming RollerCoaster Tycoon 3DS.
RollerCoaster Tycoon itself has received two expansion packs: Added Attractions (released in the US as Corkscrew Follies) in 1999, and Loopy Landscapes in 2000. Two special editions were released: RollerCoaster Tycoon Gold/Totally RollerCoaster in 2002, which contained the original game and Corkscrew Follies; and Roller Coaster Tycoon Deluxe in 2003, which contained the content in Gold plus Loopy Landscapes.
, but after becoming obsessed with roller coaster
s, he changed the project into RollerCoaster Tycoon. Sawyer wrote RollerCoaster Tycoon almost entirely in assembly language
, a difficult process given the game's complexity. Some functions were written in C
to interface with the Windows operating system
.
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.
For his efforts, Sawyer received over $30 million of the $180 million brought in by the highly popular game.
A feature length movie adaptation is set to begin production, as Sony Pictures Animation has pre-emptively picked up rights to the video game. Harald Zwart
is spearheading the development of the big-screen adaptation as a possible directing project and will executive produce. David Ronn and Jay Scherick are attached to write what will be a live-action/CGI hybrid. Chris Sawyer is represented by London based interactive rights agency, Marjacq Micro Ltd.
for the visitors. Players can choose from dozens of roller coaster types and can also build log flume
s, carousel
s, bumper cars, haunted house
s, go karts, ferris wheel
s and swinging ships, among other rides. The player also has the option of building their own roller coaster designs as well as other rides by laying out individual track pieces, choosing the direction, height, and steepness, and adding such elements as zero g rolls, corkscrews, vertical loop
s, and even on-ride photos, using a tile-based construction system. The intensity and type of rides must be balanced, as visitors' preferences vary significantly from person to person; some prefer exciting rides and have high nausea tolerance levels, while others are just the opposite.
Roller coasters must be designed carefully so that they do not crash. Rides must be properly maintained, for example by building brakes, or the chance of a crash caused by ride malfunction increases (very old attractions are also highly susceptible to such malfunctions). When a crash happens, and the park manager opens the ride without any modifications, the guests will not enter the ride for their safety. In an event of a crash, park guests will die, which will drastically decrease the park rating and will lower the park's popularity.
The geography and landscaping of the park can be modified, allowing the player to lower/raise terrain and add water to improve the park's attractiveness, as well as to allow rides to fit into their surroundings more easily. Track rides (such as roller coasters) and pathways may be constructed underground, either partially or even entirely. Players must also balance the needs of the visitors by strategically placing food stalls, concession stands, bathrooms, and information kiosks. Paths must be added to connect the attractions and must be done efficiently so that the visitors do not become lost and lose happiness. If there is no path leading from the exit of a ride, for example, the guests wander around until they find a path. Guests can also drown if the exit is placed over water without a path and they can disappear if the exit is underground.
Adding items such as garbage cans, benches, lights, and various thematic elements and forms of architecture will improve the visual quality of the park. Coordinated themed areas please park guests and increase a player's approval rating. However, garbage cans and benches also serve a practical purpose, keeping the park clean, as it will allow the visitors a place to throw away trash and rest after rides (preventing them from vomiting). Park maintenance is also important to keeping visitors satisfied, and the player must hire handymen (to sweep paths, empty garbage cans, water flowers and mow lawns), mechanics (to inspect and fix rides), security guard
s (to prevent vandalism
), and entertainers (to increase the happiness of guests). The player must also balance his/her budget by managing the staff and ride operation costs, as well as setting ticket prices, entry fees, and concession prices.
There are 21 scenarios included with RollerCoaster Tycoon, as well as 30 more in the Corkscrew Follies extension pack, and another 30 in the Loopy Landscapes extension pack, leading to 81 scenarios if the whole set is installed. There are also 3 promotional scenarios released with magazines and also 11 official scenarios created by Hasbro for competitions, as well as 3 real parks and 1 extra park which are available in the Deluxe edition. Some scenarios afford the player empty tracts of land on which to build from scratch, but most place the player in control of an already operational park (although these parks are usually underdeveloped, dilapidated, or suffering from poor planning). To complete a scenario and unlock a new one, a certain objective must be met. For most scenarios, the objective is to have a minimum number of guests by the scenario's deadline of one to four years. Years in the game are only eight months long; from the start of March to the end of October (mirroring the seasons real-life theme parks are in operation, except in the southern hemisphere). On some scenarios, the player is also required to raise the park value above a certain level by building roller coasters and other rides and maintaining the park well. However, scenarios in the Loopy Landscapes extension pack are usually very unique and contain winning conditions that are extremely different from those in the rest of the game. Refer to the Expansion packs and sequels section for more info.
There is also a built-in tutorial that can be accessed from the main menu. It takes place in Forest Frontiers, the easiest scenario in the game. It shows how to build a merry-go-round, open the amusement park, build a custom roller coaster, hire a mechanic, and exit the game. The player can take control of the tutorial and play it as a normal game at any time by clicking or pressing a keyboard button.
RollerCoaster Tycoon features 21 scenarios, with the first five open from the start. Successfully completing a scenario will unlock the next one. Additionally, Mega Park is unlocked when all 21 scenarios are completed. This scenario has no objective (except "Have Fun!"), but allows the player to build on nearly the entire map, and eventually has all attractions available to build. This is the closest to a "sandbox" park, except the player does not have an unlimited amount of money to work with, only a $50,000 loan.
Some scenarios are based on real parks. For example, 'Katie's Dreamland' (Katie's World in the US Version) is based on Lightwater Valley
, complete with that park's signature The Ultimate
roller coaster (The Storm).
There were two official scenarios available for download from Atari's website, Fort Anachronism and Alton Towers
. Alton Towers was included with the Loopy Landscapes expansion with heide-park and Blackpool pleasure beach and was updated to take advantage of the new game components. Both scenarios are also included as part of RollerCoaster Tycoon Deluxe. The UK edition of RollerCoaster Tycoon Deluxe contained Blackpool Pleasure Beach in place of Fort Anachronism.
rated the game 8.6/10, while IGN
scored the game an 8.5/10. Common complaints about the game were that it lacked a sandbox mode (which is now available in RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
) and that there were sometimes awkward building situations caused by the isometric
camera angle.
The Xbox port got mixed ratings due to very little improvement. The only exclusive features are no menu buttons (they were accessed by holding the X and B buttons) and a magnifying glass cursor
that can be toggled by clicking the left thumbstick.
Within the theme park industry and roller coaster enthusiast community, the game received high praise for its extremely accurate representation of real-life roller coasters, including easily identifiable characteristics of various manufacturers' products.
The second expansion pack, Loopy Landscapes added much of the same, but also introduced a wider variety of scenario objectives beyond the park value or visitor number criteria used previously. For example, the player might now be expected to build a set number of rollercoasters above a minimum excitement rating, or achieve a certain amount of income from ride tickets. Other scenarios allowed the player an unlimited amount of money to build the park and hire staff, with failure occurring if the park rating dropped below a fixed minimum.
Three sequels would follow RollerCoaster Tycoon (and its expansion packs): RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
, and RollerCoaster Tycoon 3DS.
Construction and management simulation
Construction and management simulation is a type of simulation game in which players build, expand or manage fictional communities or projects with limited resources. Strategy video games sometimes incorporate CMS aspects into their game economy, as players must manage resources while expanding...
video game that simulates theme park management. Developed by MicroProse
MicroProse
MicroProse was a video game publisher and developer, founded by Wild Bill Stealey and Sid Meier in 1982 as Microprose Software. In 1993, the company became a subsidiary of Spectrum HoloByte and has remained a subsidiary or brand name under several other corporations since...
and Chris Sawyer
Chris Sawyer
Chris Sawyer is a Scottish computer game developer who is best known for designing and programming Transport Tycoon and the RollerCoaster Tycoon series.-Career:...
and published by Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive was an American video game production and publishing subsidiary of Hasbro, the large game and toy company.Hasbro Interactive was formed late in 1995 in order to compete in the computer and video game arena. Several Hasbro properties, such as Monopoly and Scrabble, had already...
, the game was released for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
on March 31, 1999 and was later ported to the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
game console. It is the first game in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series
RollerCoaster Tycoon (series)
RollerCoaster Tycoon is a trilogy of computer games that simulate amusement park management. Each game in the series challenges players with open-ended amusement park management and development, and allowing players to construct and customize their own unique roller coasters.RollerCoaster Tycoon...
and is followed by RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 is a construction and management simulation computer game that simulates theme park management. Developed by Chris Sawyer and published by Infogrames, the game was released on October 15, 2002. It is the sequel to RollerCoaster Tycoon and is the second game in the...
, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a construction and management simulation computer game. It is the third installment in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, first released on October 26, 2004 in North America...
, and the upcoming RollerCoaster Tycoon 3DS.
RollerCoaster Tycoon itself has received two expansion packs: Added Attractions (released in the US as Corkscrew Follies) in 1999, and Loopy Landscapes in 2000. Two special editions were released: RollerCoaster Tycoon Gold/Totally RollerCoaster in 2002, which contained the original game and Corkscrew Follies; and Roller Coaster Tycoon Deluxe in 2003, which contained the content in Gold plus Loopy Landscapes.
History
Chris Sawyer originally wanted to create a sequel to his highly successful Transport TycoonTransport Tycoon
Transport Tycoon and Transport Tycoon Deluxe are computer games developed by Chris Sawyer and published by MicroProse in 1994 , and 1995...
, but after becoming obsessed with roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s, he changed the project into RollerCoaster Tycoon. Sawyer wrote RollerCoaster Tycoon almost entirely in assembly language
Assembly language
An assembly language is a low-level programming language for computers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, and other programmable devices. It implements a symbolic representation of the machine codes and other constants needed to program a given CPU architecture...
, a difficult process given the game's complexity. Some functions were written in C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
to interface with the Windows operating system
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
.
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.
For his efforts, Sawyer received over $30 million of the $180 million brought in by the highly popular game.
A feature length movie adaptation is set to begin production, as Sony Pictures Animation has pre-emptively picked up rights to the video game. Harald Zwart
Harald Zwart
Harald Zwart is a Norwegian film director.Although born in the Netherlands, Zwart was raised in Fredrikstad in Norway. As early as age eight, he started making short films. He attended the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam where he received great acclaim for his student film Gabriel's Surprise...
is spearheading the development of the big-screen adaptation as a possible directing project and will executive produce. David Ronn and Jay Scherick are attached to write what will be a live-action/CGI hybrid. Chris Sawyer is represented by London based interactive rights agency, Marjacq Micro Ltd.
Gameplay
The premise of the game is to complete a series of preset scenarios by successfully building and maintaining theme parks. The key to any park is building a large amount and diverse range of ridesAmusement ride
Amusement rides are large mechanical devices that move people to create enjoyment. They are frequently found at amusement parks, traveling carnivals, and funfairs.-Notable types:*Afterburner*Ali Baba*Balloon Race*Booster...
for the visitors. Players can choose from dozens of roller coaster types and can also build log flume
Log flume (attraction)
Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats...
s, carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
s, bumper cars, haunted house
Haunted house
A haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property...
s, go karts, ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
s and swinging ships, among other rides. The player also has the option of building their own roller coaster designs as well as other rides by laying out individual track pieces, choosing the direction, height, and steepness, and adding such elements as zero g rolls, corkscrews, vertical loop
Loop (roller coaster)
The generic roller coaster vertical loop is the most basic of roller coaster inversions. Specifically, the loop refers to a continuously upward-sloping section of track that eventually results in a complete 360 degree circle. At the top-most piece of the loop, riders are completely inverted.-...
s, and even on-ride photos, using a tile-based construction system. The intensity and type of rides must be balanced, as visitors' preferences vary significantly from person to person; some prefer exciting rides and have high nausea tolerance levels, while others are just the opposite.
Roller coasters must be designed carefully so that they do not crash. Rides must be properly maintained, for example by building brakes, or the chance of a crash caused by ride malfunction increases (very old attractions are also highly susceptible to such malfunctions). When a crash happens, and the park manager opens the ride without any modifications, the guests will not enter the ride for their safety. In an event of a crash, park guests will die, which will drastically decrease the park rating and will lower the park's popularity.
Adding items such as garbage cans, benches, lights, and various thematic elements and forms of architecture will improve the visual quality of the park. Coordinated themed areas please park guests and increase a player's approval rating. However, garbage cans and benches also serve a practical purpose, keeping the park clean, as it will allow the visitors a place to throw away trash and rest after rides (preventing them from vomiting). Park maintenance is also important to keeping visitors satisfied, and the player must hire handymen (to sweep paths, empty garbage cans, water flowers and mow lawns), mechanics (to inspect and fix rides), security guard
Security guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
s (to prevent vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
), and entertainers (to increase the happiness of guests). The player must also balance his/her budget by managing the staff and ride operation costs, as well as setting ticket prices, entry fees, and concession prices.
There are 21 scenarios included with RollerCoaster Tycoon, as well as 30 more in the Corkscrew Follies extension pack, and another 30 in the Loopy Landscapes extension pack, leading to 81 scenarios if the whole set is installed. There are also 3 promotional scenarios released with magazines and also 11 official scenarios created by Hasbro for competitions, as well as 3 real parks and 1 extra park which are available in the Deluxe edition. Some scenarios afford the player empty tracts of land on which to build from scratch, but most place the player in control of an already operational park (although these parks are usually underdeveloped, dilapidated, or suffering from poor planning). To complete a scenario and unlock a new one, a certain objective must be met. For most scenarios, the objective is to have a minimum number of guests by the scenario's deadline of one to four years. Years in the game are only eight months long; from the start of March to the end of October (mirroring the seasons real-life theme parks are in operation, except in the southern hemisphere). On some scenarios, the player is also required to raise the park value above a certain level by building roller coasters and other rides and maintaining the park well. However, scenarios in the Loopy Landscapes extension pack are usually very unique and contain winning conditions that are extremely different from those in the rest of the game. Refer to the Expansion packs and sequels section for more info.
There is also a built-in tutorial that can be accessed from the main menu. It takes place in Forest Frontiers, the easiest scenario in the game. It shows how to build a merry-go-round, open the amusement park, build a custom roller coaster, hire a mechanic, and exit the game. The player can take control of the tutorial and play it as a normal game at any time by clicking or pressing a keyboard button.
Guests
Guests are the visitors to the park. They have specific tastes in rides, such as liking rides with an intensity rating "above 4" or "between 2 and 6". Their nausea tolerance levels vary, from "none" to "high". Guests have ID numbers instead of names ("Guest 212"), but there is an optional feature which gives them random names that comes with the expansion packs or they can also be renamed individually by the player. Giving guests specific names can unlock Easter eggs and/or cheats. Players can choose to track certain guests. Guests only vary in clothing colors, they all have the same age, hair color, style, and skin color. Visitors bring certain amounts of money with them to the park, but they may have different amounts. A guest will always pay to enter the theme park, as long as they have enough money to pay the entrance fee. Guests have opinions about rides, the park's scenery, and what they need at the time. However, the guests' AI is very limited, with little common sense type behavior. For example, a guest may get on a roller coaster that is obviously bound to crash (too steep a hill, etc.), or not be able to find a particular ride even with a park map.Scenarios
Some scenarios are based on real parks. For example, 'Katie's Dreamland' (Katie's World in the US Version) is based on Lightwater Valley
Lightwater Valley
Lightwater Valley is a theme park in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. The park is perhaps best known for being the home of Europe’s longest rollercoaster - The Ultimate....
, complete with that park's signature The Ultimate
Ultimate (roller coaster)
The Ultimate is a steel roller coaster at Lightwater Valley amusement park, near the small Cathedral city of Ripon, in North Yorkshire England. In 1991 it took the record of longest roller coaster in the world from The Beast at Kings Island...
roller coaster (The Storm).
There were two official scenarios available for download from Atari's website, Fort Anachronism and Alton Towers
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
. Alton Towers was included with the Loopy Landscapes expansion with heide-park and Blackpool pleasure beach and was updated to take advantage of the new game components. Both scenarios are also included as part of RollerCoaster Tycoon Deluxe. The UK edition of RollerCoaster Tycoon Deluxe contained Blackpool Pleasure Beach in place of Fort Anachronism.
Scenarios list
- Forest Frontiers
- Dynamite Dunes
- Leafy Lake
- Diamond Heights
- Evergreen Gardens
- Bumbly Beach
- Trinity Islands
- Katie's World [Katie's Dreamland in UK version]
- Dinky Park
- Aqua Park
- Millenium Mines
- Karts & Coasters
- Mel's World
- Mothball Mountain
- Pacific Pyramids
- Crumbly Woods
- Big Pier
- Gentle Glen
- Lightning Peaks
- Ivory Towers
- Rainbow Valley [not allowed to delete trees or change the land]
- Thunder Rock
- Mega Park [only available if you completed the other 22]
Reception
The original PC version was wildly popular for its originality and success in simulating a theme park. GameSpotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
rated the game 8.6/10, while IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
scored the game an 8.5/10. Common complaints about the game were that it lacked a sandbox mode (which is now available in RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a construction and management simulation computer game. It is the third installment in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, first released on October 26, 2004 in North America...
) and that there were sometimes awkward building situations caused by the isometric
Isometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
camera angle.
The Xbox port got mixed ratings due to very little improvement. The only exclusive features are no menu buttons (they were accessed by holding the X and B buttons) and a magnifying glass cursor
Cursor (computers)
In computing, a cursor is an indicator used to show the position on a computer monitor or other display device that will respond to input from a text input or pointing device. The flashing text cursor may be referred to as a caret in some cases...
that can be toggled by clicking the left thumbstick.
Within the theme park industry and roller coaster enthusiast community, the game received high praise for its extremely accurate representation of real-life roller coasters, including easily identifiable characteristics of various manufacturers' products.
Expansion packs and sequels
There were two expansion packs released for the original RollerCoaster Tycoon game. The first was Added Attractions (known as Corkscrew Follies outside of the UK), which added additional scenarios, rides, facilities and also new scenery with additional themes.The second expansion pack, Loopy Landscapes added much of the same, but also introduced a wider variety of scenario objectives beyond the park value or visitor number criteria used previously. For example, the player might now be expected to build a set number of rollercoasters above a minimum excitement rating, or achieve a certain amount of income from ride tickets. Other scenarios allowed the player an unlimited amount of money to build the park and hire staff, with failure occurring if the park rating dropped below a fixed minimum.
Three sequels would follow RollerCoaster Tycoon (and its expansion packs): RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 is a construction and management simulation computer game that simulates theme park management. Developed by Chris Sawyer and published by Infogrames, the game was released on October 15, 2002. It is the sequel to RollerCoaster Tycoon and is the second game in the...
, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a construction and management simulation computer game. It is the third installment in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, first released on October 26, 2004 in North America...
, and RollerCoaster Tycoon 3DS.
See also
- Amusement parkAmusement parkthumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 2RollerCoaster Tycoon 2RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 is a construction and management simulation computer game that simulates theme park management. Developed by Chris Sawyer and published by Infogrames, the game was released on October 15, 2002. It is the sequel to RollerCoaster Tycoon and is the second game in the...
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 3RollerCoaster Tycoon 3RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a construction and management simulation computer game. It is the third installment in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, first released on October 26, 2004 in North America...
- Roller Coaster Tycoon 3DS
- RollerCoaster Tycoon (series)RollerCoaster Tycoon (series)RollerCoaster Tycoon is a trilogy of computer games that simulate amusement park management. Each game in the series challenges players with open-ended amusement park management and development, and allowing players to construct and customize their own unique roller coasters.RollerCoaster Tycoon...
- Theme Park (video game)
- Theme Park IncTheme Park IncTheme Park Inc is the last game of the series that started with Theme Park in 1994 and continued with Theme Park World in 1999....
, also known as SimCoaster - Chris SawyerChris SawyerChris Sawyer is a Scottish computer game developer who is best known for designing and programming Transport Tycoon and the RollerCoaster Tycoon series.-Career:...
External links
- RollerCoaster Tycoon on the Atari website
- The Definitive RCT Reference Guide