RollerCoaster Tycoon (series)
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| RollerCoaster Tycoon | |
|---|---|
 Logo from the first game. Other games use a similar logo. |
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| Genres | Construction and management simulation |
| Developers | Chris Sawyer Productions Frontier Developments |
| Publishers | Infogrames Entertainment Atari, Inc. |
| Creators | Chris Sawyer |
| Official website | rollercoastertycoon.com |
RollerCoaster Tycoon (abbreviated RCT) is a trilogy of video 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 was developed by designer and programmer Chris Sawyer, artist Simon Foster and composer Allister Brimble,[1] with assistance from various leading figures from the real-world roller coaster and theme park industry. 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 into two sequels and several expansion packs.
All three games, including their expansion packs, have received critical acclaim. The third sequel RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D will be released in March 2012 for the 3DS.
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[edit] Games in series
Several games and expansion packs were released, as detailed below.
Original games by Chris Sawyer:
- RollerCoaster Tycoon (1999)
- Expansion CorkScrew Follies (aka Added Attractions) (1999)
- Expansion Loopy Landscapes (2000)
- Compilation RollerCoaster Tycoon: Gold (aka Totally RollerCoaster) (2002); Includes original game and both expansions
- Compilation RollerCoaster Tycoon: Deluxe (2003); Includes original game and both expansions with more designs for the different customizable rides
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 (2002)
Expansions and sequels by Frontier:
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- RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 Expansion Wacky Worlds (2003)
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 Expansion Time Twister (2003)
- Compilation RollerCoaster Tycoon 2: Combo Park Pack (2003); Includes original game and Wacky Worlds expansion
- Compilation RollerCoaster Tycoon 2: Triple Thrill Pack (aka Totally RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 (2004); Includes original game and both expansions
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 (2004)
- Expansion Soaked! (2005)
- Expansion Wild! (2005)
- Compilation RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Gold (2005); Includes original game and Soaked! expansion
- Compilation RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum (aka RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Deluxe Edition) (2006); Includes original game and both expansions
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D (Q1 2012)
[edit] Other Gaming Media
The franchise also includes the RollerCoaster Tycoon board game, and a full-size Pinball table, with ramps themed as roller coaster tracks.
[edit] Book series
The RollerCoaster Tycoon book series was released in 2002. The books are based on the computer game and written in an open-ended, Choose Your Own Adventure style with "more than 18 possible outcomes" for each book. A total of 6 books written by different authors were released in the series:
- Sudden Turn, Shane Breaux
- Sabotage!, Shane Breaux
- The Great Coaster Contest, Tracey West
- Kidnapped!, Larry Mike Garmon
- Haunted Park, Katherine Noll
- Spaced Out!, Bobbi Weiss and David Weiss
[edit] Spinoffs
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Some[who?] consider Thrillville and Thrillville: Off The Rails to be spinoffs or spiritual successors to the series, having been developed by Frontier Developments following their work on RollerCoaster Tycoon 3. The games feature a similar premise to Roller Coaster Tycoon, although the Thrillville series is arguably more restricted in amount of creative freedom[citation needed] one has over their park, and adds an emphasis on interacting with guests, and walking around ones park with a 3D avatar.
Sony Pictures Animation has reserved the rights to a feature film based on the video game franchise. They plan to make it a "live-action/CGI hybrid". Harald Zwart will be involved in the project.[2]
[edit] 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, attracting more guests, or getting a higher park 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 in the first RollerCoaster Tycoon game. In RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, all the scenarios are available for play and the player can complete them in random order.
The game provides extensive customization for all rides, particularly roller coasters, which can take any path the player wishes (subject to game logic). More or fewer guests will then ride based on the ride's ratings of "excitement", "intensity" and "nausea". Other 'track'-based rides such as log-flumes can be similarly customized.
The player is also responsible for building park infrastructure such as paths, and facilities such as lamp posts, restrooms, garbage bins, benches, and shops. The player must also manage staff, with handymen for cleaning up litter and vomit, mechanics for fixing and inspecting rides, security guards to prevent vandalism, and entertainers to keep guests entertained. Although not usually necessary, players are also given a wide array of tools for landscaping. Players can raise and lower terrain, create lakes, add trees and other scenery objects like fountains or statues, and even control the type of paths in their park.
The guests, who 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. The game keeps track of how much money they have, what they are carrying, their thoughts, and what their current needs are (thirst, hunger, etc). Each guest also has some unique features such as preferring gentle rides over roller coasters, and their nausea tolerance. Some scenarios are even biased towards a specific guest demographic and require the player to take this into account in designing the park. In RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, the player can create their own guest groups to visit their parks.
Players may also invest in 'research', which unlocks new rides and improvements as time goes on, though it costs money to continue research. Research in a particular area is disabled when all attractions in that category are researched.
Sequels have continually upgraded the number of rides and amount of customization available to the player.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- RollerCoaster Tycoon official site
- Chris Sawyer's Home Page
- RollerCoaster Tycoon Wiki, an external wiki
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