Business sim based games general discussion

Crow550

Platinum Member
Oct 4, 2005
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The topic will be changed to business sims / tycoon type games.

What are some of your favorite Theme park based games?

How many are there? I can think of Theme Park, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Sim Theme Park (Theme Park World), Simcoaster (Theme Park Inc), Roller Coaster Tycoon 2, Roller Coaster Tycoon 3, Thrillville & Thrillville: Off The Rails.

Which ones play well and which ones not so much?
 
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Dumac

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Dec 31, 2005
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On a slightly tangent topic, who else thinks that a video-game-based theme park would be awesome?
 

HeXen

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Dec 13, 2009
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Painkiller BOH has an awesome level based on a theme park and you ride a wicked roller coaster.
I remember RCT 3, but the graphics suck, even for its time. i did like the fireworks creator but i never really enjoyed it much cause a game like that really needs some good visuals to make it any fun, especially riding the Rollercoasters you build.
 

ImpulsE69

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Jan 8, 2010
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I loved these kind of games and really thought once we jumped to 3D as a primary graphic display it would really be cool, but really none of them have done it justice. Hopefully one of these days someone will make a new one that does it all right.
 

AyashiKaibutsu

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Jan 24, 2004
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Theme Hospital was my favorite. I haven't played it in a long time/don't play many management games in general though.
 

Crow550

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Oct 4, 2005
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I don't think RCT3 was horrible. It just doesn't quite feel like a RCT sequel. More like a cross between Theme Park and Rollercoaster Tycoon. Not really a bad thing.

I just think RCT3 should be judged on it's own and not against RCT1 & 2. Even though it carries the same name.

RCT1 was a blast. Then RCT2 came out and added all the features we wanted in RCT1. RCT3 did answer the request to go 3D. Just altered the controls so much and visual style.

So from what I can gather....

First came Theme Park in 94.

Then in 99 came Rollercoaster Tycoon which released the expansions: CorkScrew Follies in 99 & Loopy Landscapes in 00.

Around that time also came Sim Theme Park then later a re-release Gold Edition that added more rides and such. Which while in 3D just wasn't as expansive as RCT1.

So then Sim Coaster came two years later which added more areas and a Roller Coaster editor. As well as more micro management features.

Which a year later came Rollercoaster Tycoon 2. With the expansions: Wacky Worlds in 03 & Time Twister later in 03.
Deciding not to go 3D & just enhance RCT1. At the time fans complained for it being more of the same and not being in 3D. It offered a vast amount of tools and now when people look at RCT2. It's gets praise over RCT1 for that reason.

So then in 2004. Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 With the expansions: Soaked! in 05 and Wild! later in 05. came and split fans up. You also couldn't build underground when it fist came out. Some love it, some hate it. It's finally in 3D. However I posted my thoughts on it on the top of this page already.

Which later we got Thrillville in in 2006 & Thrillville: Off The Rails in 2007. Both games are geared towards younger kids and focus more on mini-games. With the sequel having a Roller Coaster editor. Designed by the same company who did RCT3 but they decided to offer less expansive options for these games.

Of course later the expansion packs were released with some of the games as an all in one pack. If you were to hunt these down it would be Rollercoaster Tycoon Deluxe (There was a Gold edition too but Deluxe also offers more designs for the different customizable rides.), Sim Theme Park Gold edition, Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 Triple Thrill Pack (There was also a Combo pack that just had RCT2 and Wacky Worlds.) & Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 Platinum (Also had a Gold Edition which just had the Soaked expansion).



Did having the name Tycoon and being successful of course cause other game makers to decide to use the Tycoon name in there games too? Since the people who made the RCT games had no invovment with the other Tycoon games.
 
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njdevilsfan87

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Apr 19, 2007
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RCT1 and its two expansion packs were amazing. It went down as one of my favorite games of all time. RCT2 was good because like someone else mentioned, it added a lot of things that were missing RCT1 (like stackable scenery). But by then, it was kind of getting old and redundant, and I didn't put anywhere near as much time into it as I did in RCT1. RCT3 never quite grew on me. I'm not sure why, but it was probably my lack of ability to make a good looking park. Nothing every blended together very well in it.
 

Crow550

Platinum Member
Oct 4, 2005
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Interesting how RCT1 & 3 offer Window mode but they left it out with 2.

One thing that irks me when the people walk through each other. Come on programmers would it have been that hard to make the little peeps walk around one another?

The only ones I haven't played are the original Theme Park & the two Thrillville games.

Anyone play Sim Theme Park & Sim Coaster?

Any other Theme Park based games that were good or crap?
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
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I'd like to see one with a realistic version of roller coasters from around the world, and an easy to use editor. I think that'd make a fortune, too. Just licensing issues.
 

paperfist

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Nov 30, 2000
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www.the-teh.com
Interesting how RCT1 & 3 offer Window mode but they left it out with 2.

One thing that irks me when the people walk through each other. Come on programmers would it have been that hard to make the little peeps walk around one another?

The only ones I haven't played are the original Theme Park & the two Thrillville games.

Anyone play Sim Theme Park & Sim Coaster?

Any other Theme Park based games that were good or crap?

Sim Theme Park was a lot of fun and because it was a Bullfrog game it had a unique take on things.
 
Oct 27, 2007
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One thing that irks me when the people walk through each other. Come on programmers would it have been that hard to make the little peeps walk around one another?
It's computationally expensive and RCT3 was already capable of bringing the most powerful systems to their knees. It's a small detail with large performance costs.
 

Crow550

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Oct 4, 2005
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Hmmm. Right.

Would you say the ones that offer the most customization is RCT2 Triple Thrill Pack & RCT3 Platinum compared to the rest in the genre?
 
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Crow550

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Oct 4, 2005
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That's awesome.

Seeing that video makes we want to try out RCT3. I love 1 and 2, but never bought 3.

It's good once you learn the new controls. Some tutorial vids on Youtube that are pretty helpful to get the hang of building stuff. I suppose you could map the RCT3 controls like the first two games.

Steam has RCT3 Platinum but the price is ridiculous & you can't add custom music from what I heard. I'd suggest looking on Amazon for a used copy or something. Unless someone knows a better place?

You can get RCT 1 Deluxe & RCT 2 Triple Thrill at www.gog.com <-- Think this is the best place to get these two titles.

Unless you want to complete the RCT1 scenarios. You can just get RCT2TTP as offers tons more stuff plus a good set of scenarios. Plus I believe someone ported the RCT1 scenarios to RCT2. Or it was RCT1 & 2 scenarios in 3.

Since RCT2 & 3 offers so many tools. There is tons & tons of custom content out there.

Here's a good review for RCT3: http://youtu.be/kYY97NEb4Fo?hd=1

Here's a review on why RCT2 is awesome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39i-sK0bBlU

I was kinda hoping by having this thread be on all Theme Park games that we could discuss what worked & didn't with all these games but it seems no one cares about the rest. RCT is the best in these type of games. ;)

Which as popular as these games are you'd think they would have gotten more releases on like consoles, portable devices & online on like Facebook. However don't get me wrong the best way to play is on a big Monitor chilling on a PC.

What's funny is RCT1 which came out in 1999 did get a console release back in 2002 on Xbox. When RCT2 was already out in 2002 on PC.

However if do make a RCT4. I think some type of Multiplayer or co-op mode would be awesome. :p

Rollercoaster Tycoon 3DS is coming. So finally a portable version. Well see if it's just a gimped version of RCT3 or a full packed game worthy of the RCT name. The screenshots do look like RCT1&2 in 3D.
 
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