Railroad Tycoon (RRT) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Compiled and Edited by David Mitton Rev 1 Draft 9-Feb-1994 Scope & Disclaimer: Not a complete treatis on RRT or RTD. Just an overview and pointers. Also not a subsitute for purchased docs for pirates. Keystrokes are documented in the Technical Supplement. Strategy discussions can be endless. Included are basics and net contributions. Buy one of the books. Contents: - Top 10 Questions - What is RRT and RRT Deluxe? - Microprose information - Game Limitations (README.DOC) - Known Bugs - Version info - Hints and Strategy books - "The Computer Cheats!" - Mastering the Modes and Levels - Strategies - Basic - Grand - Robber Baron - Rate Wars - Little known details - Getting the most out of the displays (How to I find that?) - Map Differences - Deluxe Differences - Acknowledgements Top 10 Questions - How do I double track? Read the Tech Supplement - Why only 32 stations? Design limit - How can I build track/stations like the computer? You cannot - What is the cheat? Read the x? (F1,$) - What about the GP-30? Didn't make the cut - How come my city/industry are now working? a) Basic Economy, b)not guaranteed - What are slums? Undocumented "feature" - Why do things go wrong over $32M? 16bit signed int bug, no fix 1) What is RRT and RRT Deluxe? Railroad Tycoon (RRT) and Railroad Tycoon Deluxe (RTD) are exciting strategy games of empire building, operation, and market manipulation. It is a commercial product of MicroProse Software and is availible for MS-DOS on an IBM PC or Apple Macintosh. The game is authored primarily by Sid Meier, who went on to write Civilization. Bruce Shelly also helped and is known for his previous contribution to Avalon Hill's 1830 railroad board game. The game borrows elements of 1830 and combines them with elements of the PC Empire wargame to provide a strategy game that can consume hours of play. RRT pits a single player against 3 simulated players. You are given some initial money and must build a successful railroad corporation. You spend your money building the track and stations. Then you buy and schedule trains that earn money by collecting cargos at resource centers and delivering them to stations with matching demands. A changing economic cycle and a growing population over time, keep things from becoming static. The financial side of RRT, allows you to raise money by selling bonds and investing in the stock of your company and your competitors. If you can manage to gain greater than 50% of your competitor's stock you can also operate their railroad and take their profits. You can also manipulate your competitor's stock values to their detriment. At the end of 100 years you are rated on your financial accomplishments. RRT was released in 1990. RTD was released in 1993. Railroad Tycoon Deluxe plays basically the same as RRT, but has greatly enhanced graphics and additional scenarios. Most discussions are geared to the original game and applies to both. The differences are discussed at the end. Game Materials: Manual, Technical Supplement, Distribution diskettes, Economic charts The game is copy protected by a challenge to identify a locomotive by sight. The locomotives are pictured and described in the Manual. A frequent player or railfan can memorize this. The less initated can make a cheatsheet by noting the wheel arrangements also given and explained in the manual. Failure to pass the challenge results in only being able to play with 2 trains. 2) Microprose information MicroProse Software, 180 Lakefront Drive, Hunt Valley, MD 21030 Customer Service: 410-771-1151 MPS*BBS: 410-785-1841 (8,N,1) 8 lines, upto 14400 baud CompuServe: Forum GamePublishersB, ID: 76004,2223 Internet: "76004,2223@Compuserve.com" AOL,Delphi,Fidonet,GEnie,MCI Mail, PC-Link,Prodigy,Promenade,Q-Link 3) Game Limitations README.DOC - On the distribution diskette is a file with some last minute changes and details on the limitations of the game as imple- mented. Investment: Can own only ONE extra RR if Investor or Financier, TWO if Mogul, All THREE if Tycoon. Trains: 32 total, GP30 is not availible Stations: 32 stations (depots,stations,terminals), 64 signal towers Industry building: no forts or textile mills (or power plants in England) (different in RDX) 4) Known Bugs - $32,000 limit - hangs - hyperspace transfer - Slums - RDX initial bugs 5) Version info RRT - - RRT V03 - SLUMFI RDX - shipped - fixed 6) Hints and Strategy books There are two published books on RRT: "The Official Guide to Railroad Tycoon" by Russell Sipe (C) 1991, Compute Books, Greensboro NC. ISBN 0-87455-244-3 $12.95 "Railroad Tycoon, Master Strategies for Empire Builders" Shay Addams, (C) 1991, Osborne McGraw-Hill, Berkley CA. ISBN 0-07-881728-5 $14.95 7) "The Computer Cheats!" A frequent whine from beginners is "how can I do x like the computer players do?" And the answer is you cannot. The computer is playing a different game than you. It has some advantages, but it also has many limitiations. + multiple entrances to cities, amazing terrain conquring - no switches or stubs, only builds to named cities, cannot round corners, does not not build ferries - number of cities 8) Mastering the Modes and Levels Difficulty: Investor Financier Mogul Tycoon Reality Levels: Basic vs Complex Economies In Basic mode, all stations pay for all cargos. In Complex, stations pay only for industry and local demands. No Collisions vs Dispatcher Operations NC mode does not use the block signal system. Dispatcher mode provides block signals which are automatic, but can be overriden by the player. NC mode has no controls and is totally automatic. Dispatcher is more interesting and can provide more optimal control. Friendly vs Cut-Throat Competition In Friendly mode, your competitors will not attempt to take over your RR, or start a Rate war with you. Beginners should start with Investor level. I recommend that you immediately start playing with Complex Economy and Dispatcher mode. The lower modes are not interesting. Starting out: - Initial state, turn on Resource Display - Learn how to use each display and report Pointers: F6 Train Income; watch maintenance cost, get to routing Balance - Econ cycle - Freeze the game when laying track or researching decisions 9) Strategies - Beginning Learning to play: use low dif, complex, Dispatcher, Friendly use $ cheat if need be - Basic Start small, go for best revenue route, keep competitors honest Buy stock early, aim to own 50% of self soon Roll over Bonds on first Boom - Grand Mail & Pass vs full service Priority load service - Robber Baron Bankrupting and stealling from competitors - Rate Wars How to wage successful rate wars - timing - Depot staging - analyze the demand 10) Little known details - Revenue calculations - Tunnel exit critera - Econ cycle table 11) Getting the most out of the displays (How to I find that?) - Station displays (colored bars) - Train display (F6) 12) Map Differences - Eastern US - Western US E/W vs N/S differential & Transcontental Bonus - England - Europe RDX - North America - South America - Africa 13) RRT Deluxe Differences VGA support Graphic renderings, but not animated Slow response in F4 New maps New time ranges and locomotives Bandits and Sheriffs New initial bugs 14) Acknowledgements