Roller Coaster Tycoon Lesson

[Blazerhawk 162]

With all this negativity about SCS, I was reminded of another great franchise that switched hands, Roller Coaster Tycoon. The publisher Atari changed developers from Chris Sawyer-the creator's company-to Frontier. This was met with strong criticism. Ring any bells? It gets better.

Roller Coaster Tycoon 1 and 2 had both been isometric park simulators. Both had been very succesful. Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 was 3D and a little less realistic.

The final product knocked the other 2 into a different class. About the largest downside was its demands for the 3D rendering. The game came with new sandbox and custom content creation modes. Dazzling tidbits like fireworks (and later laser light and water shows), ride events (T-rex that activates as you pass by, etc.), family groups (fully customizable), and Improved scenarios (they now had three levels in each scenario). Even better was the selection of rides (there are about 50 types of coasters alone), Night mode (a first in the series), and the level of micromanagment possible (it was finally possible to customize each rides fences and queue. They missed very few things and eventually got them fixed with expansion packs that allowed the player to make water parks and safari parks for the first time.

Just hope this gives you a little hope for SCS. I am praying that the games make this one of the most interesting video game analogies ever.

[gshmails 536]

Totally agree! The first time I tried to ride my own roller coaster I was convinced. 3D does not always mean dumbed down. I still break that game out for a little fun. Give this new game a chance, not a death sentence.

[Godzillaman 21]

i think it will be a success but not like sc4.

[BlondeTwiggy 43]

I agree, it does remind me of RCT3 (how it changed from 1& 2) I was just thinking about that.

The graphics aren't good imo but the new features were cool.

Anyway I still hvae hope for SCS.

[MayorPenguin 0]

Ironically, I like RCT2 WAYYYY more than RCT3.

[nyctnv 0]

You forgot one thing...it still wasn't anywhere as enjoyable to play as the first two games.

I realize that I'm a nubie to this site, but for what it's worth, here's my theory on the change in developer and switch to 3D graphics. The popularity of the product, both for RCT and SC made alot of money for all hands involved. Expansion packs in the case of RCT and new development products in the case of SC also proved to be success stories. When the throngs of fans continued to enjoy their products despite having no new developments from the parent companies, these companies grew concerned. How were the brands continuing to gain fans and hold onto original fans? And how come they (the developers and publishers) aren't still making money from these fans? The fans, through sites like this one, developed their own 'expansion packs', custom modifications and add-ons...for free!! The intellectual and physical properties of the developers and publishers was, in their eyes, being stolen. So, how do they stop it? Publish new products with new developers in the hopes that the fans will flock to the new products and leave the old ones behind, thus killing the creativity of 'software pirates' who have hijacked them.

Mind you, I still think it's lousy, but this is what I believe to be the case in at least these two scenarios. I love this site and can't believe the creativity that some of you possess. The problem, I think, is that EA and MAXIS can't believe it either and they want their toys back. Of course, just my opinion. What do I know?

[Goldfish4209 9]

Well, I don't think RCT3 was delibrately dumbed down.

[jutrock 4]

dude. i came to this forum to say the same thing. like, the game reminds me of that game themepark tycoon or sim themepark or something that i bought when i was playing roller coaster tycoon all the time. like, the 3d graphics are a step up but everything else sucked. you get more detail in the 'worse' graphics anyway and everything looks much less computerized. plus, sc4 was a HUGE jump from 3000 in terms of customization, realism, and scale. this looks like a game for people who thought that the past have been too complicated. a buddy of mine never bought 3000 after playing it at my place cause it was too intricate. obviously he didnt give it much of a chance but there are people who dont invest much time into the game for its intricacy and realism so i think thats what this is going for. ill probably just keep playing 4 all the time, unless the game surprises me i guess.