Tropico
Encyclopedia
Tropico is a series of construction and management simulation
computer games developed by PopTop Software
and published by Gathering of Developers
in April 2001
. The games see the player taking the role of "El Presidente," the ruler of an island
in the Caribbean
during the Cold War
era from the 1950s onward.
The game is tongue-in-cheek in its presentation of banana republic
s, using a great deal of humor while still referencing such topics as totalitarianism
, electoral fraud
, and the interventions of powerful companies (United Fruit
is implied) and the Cold War superpower
s (the United States
and Soviet Union
).
Tropico features Latin-styled Dominican music
, largely performed by Daniel Indart. The game won the Original Music Composition category in the 2002 Interactive Achievement Awards.
Tropico has several expansion packs and new editions, including Tropico: Paradise Island, plus a combined copy of the original and Paradise Island entitled Tropico: Mucho Macho Edition (released on June 27, 2002). A sequel, Tropico 2: Pirate Cove
, was released on April 8, 2003. The third game in the series Tropico 3
, was released in the autumn of 2009.
Regardless of any other stated victory condition, the main goal of any Tropico game is to stay in power–if the island's populace disapprove of the player's actions, they may vote their leader out of office, or even stage a coup d'état
. If either of the Cold War superpowers becomes unhappy with the player's regime, it may launch an invasion to overthrow it. A successful leader will have to either meet the needs of the populace and the wider political world, or establish and police a totalitarian military dictatorship.
In random map games, the player can customize the map of the island, adjusting its size and steepness to personal preference. Many other aspects of gameplay, such as political and economic difficulty, can also be customized to make the game easier or more difficult.
The player is able to issue a number of governmental edict
s, some of which require funding or the availability of particular buildings. Edicts are used to achieve various game effects, from appeasing one of the superpowers by openly praising them, to instating martial law
or giving a tax break to the populace.
The game calculates a score for the player at the end of the game. This score is based on a variety of factors, including the happiness of the island's citizens, the health of the island's economy, how much money the player has set aside for his own retirement in a Swiss bank account, and the level of difficulty chosen at the start of the game.
or custom game/random map:
The game also includes a tutorial level, which teaches the player the game mechanics and controls of the game.
Certain decisions while playing the game can boost or decrease relations with the super powering countries. If "El Presidente" manages to stay in positive view of Russia and the United States they will supply him with monthly supply of foreign aid money. Through the edicts it is possible to either create a military base on your island of one of the countries protecting your island from the other country and a monthly payment of money. If an army base is established the country may ask for specific tasks and if their satisfaction with you becomes too low they will overthrow "El Presidente."
If pushed enough the Tropican people may choose to rebel against "El Presidente", conducting guerilla attacks against various buildings on the island; if the rebellion grows strong enough this will result in the overthrow of the player. A sufficiently dissatisfied military are likely to instigate a coup. Often threats to power can be measured based on a unit's leadership qualities
and his courage
. For example, a citizen with poor leadership but strong courage may not be likely to start a rebellion, but may be willing to join it.
Most Tropicans are aligned into several conflicting political factions, with some citizens being a member of one or more such factions. The following is a list of the factions and their general demands:
Factions can be manipulated both positively and negatively mainly through edicts and buildings. For example, the player may choose to bribe the leaders of factions to attempt to curry their favor or, if the factions' leaders become too much of a threat, he can have them assassinated or imprisoned. The island's media outlets can be directed to distribute propaganda
for a particular faction, and schools can be either parochial or military in nature.
, Fidel Castro
, and Augusto Pinochet
, fictional rulers such as Hernando Blanco and Sancho Baraega, as well as miscellaneous rulers and even musician Lou Bega
.
After the player has chosen a leader, the player can customize their profile by specifying the strengths and flaws of their character's personality, the means by which they came into power and their social background. These choices affect the attitudes of factions and superpowers towards the player, and can also alter the costs or consequences of in-game actions.
Lou Bega
, who is a Latin pop musician commonly known at the time for the song "Mambo No. 5
," is also available as a dictator persona. He was included as part of a licensing deal that also saw one of Bega's songs integrated into the German release of Tropico.
released Tropico 3
developed by Haemimont Games
after acquiring the Tropico license rights from Take Two
on November 3, 2008. An American version followed on October 20, 2009, and then the game was subsequently released for Xbox 360
on February 16, 2010.
announced Tropico 4. During the Game Developers Conference
, on March 3, Kalypso Media announced that the release of the game would be delayed for Xbox 360 and PC. The PC version will include Social Network compatibility. There will be several new buildings (Including 'Stock Exchange' and 'Shopping Mall') 20 new missions, 10 new maps, and improved graphics. During GDC Kalypso Media announced that the game will release in August 2011 along with a teaser trailer.
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...
computer games developed by PopTop Software
PopTop Software
PopTop Software was an American video game developer. It was known as the publisher of several strategy games including Railroad Tycoon II and the Caribbean island simulation Tropico . They are not to be confused with PopCap Games, which is a casual game developer.-History:PopTop Software was...
and published by Gathering of Developers
Gathering of Developers
Gathering of Developers was a Texas-based PC and video games publishing company, founded in January 1998 with the mission to bridge the gap between publishers and independent game developers, allowing independent developers creative control over their projects, ownership of their IP, and...
in April 2001
2001 in video gaming
-Events:* Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts John Carmack of id Software to the AIAS Hall of Fame...
. The games see the player taking the role of "El Presidente," the ruler of an island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
era from the 1950s onward.
The game is tongue-in-cheek in its presentation of banana republic
Banana republic
In political science, the pejorative term Banana Republic denotes a politically unstable country dependent upon limited primary productions , which is ruled by a plutocracy, a small, self-elected, wealthy group who exploit the country by means of a politico-economic oligarchy...
s, using a great deal of humor while still referencing such topics as totalitarianism
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
, electoral fraud
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
, and the interventions of powerful companies (United Fruit
United Fruit Company
It had a deep and long-lasting impact on the economic and political development of several Latin American countries. Critics often accused it of exploitative neocolonialism and described it as the archetypal example of the influence of a multinational corporation on the internal politics of the...
is implied) and the Cold War superpower
Superpower
A superpower is a state with a dominant position in the international system which has the ability to influence events and its own interests and project power on a worldwide scale to protect those interests...
s (the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
).
Tropico features Latin-styled Dominican music
Music of the Dominican Republic
The music of the Dominican Republic is known primarily for merengue, though bachata, salsa and other forms are also popular. Dominican music has always been closely intertwined with that of its neighbor, Haiti .-Merengue:...
, largely performed by Daniel Indart. The game won the Original Music Composition category in the 2002 Interactive Achievement Awards.
Tropico has several expansion packs and new editions, including Tropico: Paradise Island, plus a combined copy of the original and Paradise Island entitled Tropico: Mucho Macho Edition (released on June 27, 2002). A sequel, Tropico 2: Pirate Cove
Tropico 2: Pirate Cove
Tropico 2: Pirate Cove is the 2003 sequel to the computer game Tropico. Tropico 2 was developed by Frog City Software and published by Gathering of Developers for Windows and Mac OS X PCs.- Gameplay :...
, was released on April 8, 2003. The third game in the series Tropico 3
Tropico 3
Tropico 3 is a video game developed by Haemimont Games and published by Kalypso Media. Like the previous games in the series, Tropico 3 is a construction and management simulation game with heavy emphasis on city building, and as a sequel to Tropico, the game attempts to return to the roots of the...
, was released in the autumn of 2009.
Gameplay
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. If either of the Cold War superpowers becomes unhappy with the player's regime, it may launch an invasion to overthrow it. A successful leader will have to either meet the needs of the populace and the wider political world, or establish and police a totalitarian military dictatorship.
In random map games, the player can customize the map of the island, adjusting its size and steepness to personal preference. Many other aspects of gameplay, such as political and economic difficulty, can also be customized to make the game easier or more difficult.
The player is able to issue a number of governmental edict
Edict
An edict is an announcement of a law, often associated with monarchism. The Pope and various micronational leaders are currently the only persons who still issue edicts.-Notable edicts:...
s, some of which require funding or the availability of particular buildings. Edicts are used to achieve various game effects, from appeasing one of the superpowers by openly praising them, to instating martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
or giving a tax break to the populace.
The game calculates a score for the player at the end of the game. This score is based on a variety of factors, including the happiness of the island's citizens, the health of the island's economy, how much money the player has set aside for his own retirement in a Swiss bank account, and the level of difficulty chosen at the start of the game.
Modes
Tropico can be played in two different gameplay modes: scenarioScenario
A scenario is a synoptical collage of an event or series of actions and events. In the Commedia dell'arte it was an outline of entrances, exits, and action describing the plot of a play that was literally pinned to the back of the scenery...
or custom game/random map:
- Scenarios are predetermined game conditions with defined goals that must be accomplished in order to achieve a "win". The game includes several scenarios, each with a stated level of difficulty. Scenario goals are normally more complex than those available in a custom game.
- Custom games allow virtually all starting conditions to be controlled. These include the elevationElevationThe elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
, vegetation and water coverage of the island, and the probability of random events during play. The custom game also allows the player to choose how many game years the simulation will run for (a minimum of 10 years, a maximum of 70), and what conditions will determine victory (if any).
The game also includes a tutorial level, which teaches the player the game mechanics and controls of the game.
Politics and factions
While "El Presidente" has absolute rule over the lives of the Tropican people, politics play an important role in gameplay. The player must decide whether to hold free elections, attempt to manipulate the election by intimidating voters, or to reject democracy and run the island as a dictatorship. These decisions will have direct effects on the Tropican people's happiness, liberty, and respect for the leader. Often the player is judged on "democracy expectations" versus "democracy results," which will influence the public's opinion of their leadership.Certain decisions while playing the game can boost or decrease relations with the super powering countries. If "El Presidente" manages to stay in positive view of Russia and the United States they will supply him with monthly supply of foreign aid money. Through the edicts it is possible to either create a military base on your island of one of the countries protecting your island from the other country and a monthly payment of money. If an army base is established the country may ask for specific tasks and if their satisfaction with you becomes too low they will overthrow "El Presidente."
If pushed enough the Tropican people may choose to rebel against "El Presidente", conducting guerilla attacks against various buildings on the island; if the rebellion grows strong enough this will result in the overthrow of the player. A sufficiently dissatisfied military are likely to instigate a coup. Often threats to power can be measured based on a unit's leadership qualities
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
and his courage
Courage
Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation...
. For example, a citizen with poor leadership but strong courage may not be likely to start a rebellion, but may be willing to join it.
Most Tropicans are aligned into several conflicting political factions, with some citizens being a member of one or more such factions. The following is a list of the factions and their general demands:
- Communists: Generally one of the largest factions, they are most concerned with housing and full employment for the masses, and low pay disparities between workers on the island. They also prefer a pro-Soviet foreign policy. Their leader is generally a farmer or other laborer.
- Capitalists: They stand in opposition to the communists and are a small, but influential faction. They are concerned with vast economic growth and higher standards of living for the upper-classes on the island. The capitalists prefer a pro-American foreign policy to realize their economic goals and are often led by a banker.
- Religious: One of (if not the) largest faction on the island. This is due to a high value that many Tropicans place on their faith. They often are concerned with access to and quality of religious institutions on the island, as well as the island's morality. Appeasing them can often result in major reductions in liberty as they are swayed by edicts such as "Book BBQ,"Book burningBook burning, biblioclasm or libricide is the practice of destroying, often ceremoniously, books or other written material and media. In modern times, other forms of media, such as phonograph records, video tapes, and CDs have also been ceremoniously burned, torched, or shredded...
"Prohibition,"ProhibitionProhibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
"Birth Control Ban,"ContraceptionContraception is the prevention of the fusion of gametes during or after sexual activity. The term contraception is a contraction of contra, which means against, and the word conception, meaning fertilization...
and "Inquisition."InquisitionThe Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
The religious faction tends to be led by either a priest or bishop. Having a cathedral or church on the island encourages the growth of this faction (when citizens go to church they become more religious), but not allowing any religious buildings can keep this faction's size down, though its few members will hate you. - Intellectuals: This is one of the smallest factions on the island and tends to have the most detractors. They are most concerned with access to education on the island as well as maintaining a standard of liberty on the island. They can be one of the hardest factions to please and occasionally pose a threat to power, especially if the player is running an authoritarian regime. Their faction is often led by a professor or teacher.
- Militarists: This is a medium-sized but powerful faction mainly concerned with the size and well-being of the island's military. They are one of the biggest threats to power, as armed members of this faction may launch a coup against the player. Supporting the militarists will result in a decrease in liberty and can cause non-militarists to rebel. The militarist faction is generally led by a soldier or general.
- Environmentalists: A very small faction. They are most concerned with the natural beauty of the island. As such, they oppose logging and mining operations as well as most industry. Often they are in direct conflict with the interests of the capitalists or the communists. The leader can appease them by issuing edicts relating to the environment, such as pollution standards, but this will generally result in increased maintenance costs and decreased productivity. They can be pleased by frequent planting of trees (which can be done along the sides of roads prior to those roads being completed).
Factions can be manipulated both positively and negatively mainly through edicts and buildings. For example, the player may choose to bribe the leaders of factions to attempt to curry their favor or, if the factions' leaders become too much of a threat, he can have them assassinated or imprisoned. The island's media outlets can be directed to distribute propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
for a particular faction, and schools can be either parochial or military in nature.
Character
Before starting a custom game, the player may either design their own "El Presidente" character or select one from a list of pre-made leaders. These include real-life figures such as Che GuevaraChe Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
, Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, and Augusto Pinochet
Augusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet , was a Chilean army general and dictator who assumed power in a coup d'état on 11 September 1973...
, fictional rulers such as Hernando Blanco and Sancho Baraega, as well as miscellaneous rulers and even musician Lou Bega
Lou Bega
David Lubega , also known as Lou Bega, is a German musician of Italian and Ugandan descent, and is famous for his song "Mambo No. 5 ". This song is a remake of the Perez Prado instrumental from 1949...
.
After the player has chosen a leader, the player can customize their profile by specifying the strengths and flaws of their character's personality, the means by which they came into power and their social background. These choices affect the attitudes of factions and superpowers towards the player, and can also alter the costs or consequences of in-game actions.
List of real life personas
The following lists real figures featured in Tropico, most of whom are associated with Latin American politics during the Cold War:- Che GuevaraChe GuevaraErnesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
- Fidel CastroFidel CastroFidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
- Eva PerónEva PerónMaría Eva Duarte de Perón was the second wife of President Juan Perón and served as the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. She is often referred to as simply Eva Perón, or by the affectionate Spanish language diminutive Evita.She was born in the village of Los Toldos in...
(called Evita de Peron in game) - Hernández MartínezMaximiliano Hernández MartínezMaximiliano Hernández Martínez was the President of El Salvador from 1931 to 1944...
- Violeta ChamorroVioleta ChamorroVioleta Barrios Torres de Chamorro is a Nicaraguan political leader, former president and publisher. She became president of Nicaragua on April 25, 1990, when she unseated Daniel Ortega...
- François DuvalierFrançois DuvalierFrançois Duvalier was the President of Haiti from 1957 until his death in 1971. Duvalier first won acclaim in fighting diseases, earning him the nickname "Papa Doc" . He opposed a military coup d'état in 1950, and was elected President in 1957 on a populist and black nationalist platform...
(called by his nickname, "Papa Doc" in game) - Juan PerónJuan PerónJuan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
- Augusto PinochetAugusto PinochetAugusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet , was a Chilean army general and dictator who assumed power in a coup d'état on 11 September 1973...
- António SalazarAntónio de Oliveira SalazarAntónio de Oliveira Salazar, GColIH, GCTE, GCSE served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He also served as acting President of the Republic briefly in 1951. He founded and led the Estado Novo , the authoritarian, right-wing government that presided over and controlled Portugal...
- Anastasio Somoza GarcíaAnastasio Somoza GarcíaAnastasio Somoza García was officially the President of Nicaragua from 1 January 1937 to 1 May 1947 and from 21 May 1950 to 29 September 1956, but ruled effectively as dictator from 1936 until his assassination.-Biography:Somoza was born in San Marcos, Carazo Department in Nicaragua, the son of...
(called Anastasio Somoza Sr. in game) - Manuel NoriegaManuel NoriegaManuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
- Alfredo StroessnerAlfredo StroessnerAlfredo Stroessner Matiauda, whose name is also spelled Strössner or Strößner , was a Paraguayan military officer and dictator from 1954 to 1989...
- Rafael Trujillo
Lou Bega
Lou Bega
David Lubega , also known as Lou Bega, is a German musician of Italian and Ugandan descent, and is famous for his song "Mambo No. 5 ". This song is a remake of the Perez Prado instrumental from 1949...
, who is a Latin pop musician commonly known at the time for the song "Mambo No. 5
Mambo No. 5
"Mambo No. 5" is a mambo and jive dance song originally recorded and composed by Pérez Prado in 1949.The song's popularity was renewed by Lou Bega's sampling of the original, released under the same name on Bega's 1999 debut album A Little Bit of Mambo....
," is also available as a dictator persona. He was included as part of a licensing deal that also saw one of Bega's songs integrated into the German release of Tropico.
Tropico 3
On September 24, 2009, German publisher Kalypso MediaKalypso Media
Kalypso Media is a German video game developer and publisher. Founded in summer 2006 by industry veterans Simon Hellwig and Stefan Marcinek, the company has published and/or developed a number of successful titles such as Sins of a Solar Empire, Ceville, Dungeons, Patrician IV, Tropico 3 and...
released Tropico 3
Tropico 3
Tropico 3 is a video game developed by Haemimont Games and published by Kalypso Media. Like the previous games in the series, Tropico 3 is a construction and management simulation game with heavy emphasis on city building, and as a sequel to Tropico, the game attempts to return to the roots of the...
developed by Haemimont Games
Haemimont Games
Haemimont Games is a Bulgarian video game developer founded in September 1997 and based in Sofia. The company primarily concentrates on producing medieval and ancient history strategy games and has about 50 employees, making it Bulgaria's largest video game developer.-Games:-External links:* * *...
after acquiring the Tropico license rights from Take Two
Take-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a major American publisher, developer, and distributor of video games and video game peripherals. Take-Two wholly owns 2K Games and Rockstar Games. The company's headquarters are in New York City, with international headquarters in Windsor, United Kingdom...
on November 3, 2008. An American version followed on October 20, 2009, and then the game was subsequently released for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
on February 16, 2010.
Tropico 4
On February 1, 2011, Kalypso MediaKalypso Media
Kalypso Media is a German video game developer and publisher. Founded in summer 2006 by industry veterans Simon Hellwig and Stefan Marcinek, the company has published and/or developed a number of successful titles such as Sins of a Solar Empire, Ceville, Dungeons, Patrician IV, Tropico 3 and...
announced Tropico 4. During the Game Developers Conference
Game Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking...
, on March 3, Kalypso Media announced that the release of the game would be delayed for Xbox 360 and PC. The PC version will include Social Network compatibility. There will be several new buildings (Including 'Stock Exchange' and 'Shopping Mall') 20 new missions, 10 new maps, and improved graphics. During GDC Kalypso Media announced that the game will release in August 2011 along with a teaser trailer.