Q: For those readers that have spent the last three years living in a tunnel, please could you sum up what is Railroad Tycoon 3?
Railroad Tycoon 3 is a Real Time Strategy game based on industrial empire building with a focus on railroad building. The player takes on the role of a Railroad Tycoon and attempts to create a railroad that will make them rich.
Q: Is this more of the same in the Tycoon series?
If you mean the Railroad Tycoon series then yes. Railroad Tycoon was the first "Tycoon" game that came out for the PC in 1990. Railroad Tycoon 2 came out in 1998 and now Railroad Tycoon 3 will be available later this month. There will be significant changes, just as there were from RT1 to RT2; however the basic concept of making money building railroads is still the same. We're building a more immersive environment.
Q: What's new in the game?
The game is now fully 3D. We've streamlined the interface, included more helpful cargo system, player built and placed industries, there are no separate screens for support structures and a more realistic scale that allows functional bridging and tunnels.
Q: As an RTS title what sort of time scale can a gamer expect?
It's all abstracted, so months go by instead of minutes or hours. So an average game should end up lasting 3-5 hours.
Q: You've decided on a 3D engine, will gamers now have to get higher spec PCs?
We're not aiming to require high-end systems. Currently the game runs on PCs that are using 3-5 year old technology. However, for those that do have high-end systems, the game is scaleable and has some nice features for those who have high-end graphic cards in particular.
Q: Why was the 3D engine created?
We felt it would help us take the genre up a notch as we'd done with RT2. It also allowed far more flexibility in the environment we could display. We wanted to ensure that the player didn't feel like they were simply pushing numbers on a hex map. The 3D engine has certainly made this possible.
Q: It is rumoured that Railroad Tycoon 3 is multiplayer, what can we expect to see?
At least 4 players in multi-player and maps specifically tailored for multiplayer tactics.
Q: What part does the AI play in the game with micro management?
The AI handles much of the mundane tasks should the player decide NOT to micromanage. It also powers a vastly improved economic model.
Q: Why should we buy Railroad Tycoon 3?
Because my baby has no shoes... and... Really, if you're interested in a fun, challenging alternative to a grunt-rush-RTS that rewards you for planning and thoughtful decision making then you'll likely find Railroad Tycoon 3 an excellent purchase. Also, if you're a train enthusiast and want to play with choo choos then it will enthral.
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