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RollerCoaster Tycoon (series)
Encyclopedia
RollerCoaster Tycoon is a trilogy of computer 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 coaster
s.
RollerCoaster Tycoon was developed
by designer and programmer
Chris Sawyer
, artist Simon Foster and composer Allister Brimble
, 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.
Original games by Chris Sawyer:
Expansions and sequels by Frontier:
, and a full-size Pinball
table, with ramps themed as roller coaster tracks.
style with "more than 18 possible outcomes" for each book. A total of 6 books written by different authors were released in the series:
and Thrillville: Off The Rails
are considered spinoffs to RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
, as they feature almost exactly the same gameplay and were both made by Frontier Developments
. However, they remove the overhead camera view and add the ability to play mini games and to chat
with park guests, making it seem more realistic.
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.
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.
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
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 coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s.
RollerCoaster Tycoon was developed
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by designer and programmer
Game programmer
A game programmer is a software engineer, programmer, or computer scientist who primarily develops codebase for video games or related software, such as game development tools. Game programming has many specialized disciplines all of which fall under the umbrella term of "game programmer"...
Chris Sawyer
Chris Sawyer
Chris Sawyer is a Scottish computer game developer who is best known for designing and programming Transport Tycoon and the RollerCoaster Tycoon series.-Career:...
, artist Simon Foster and composer Allister Brimble
Allister Brimble
Allister Mark Brimble is a video game music composer. Allister has written music and sound effects for the videogame industry since the mid 1980s for a vast array of games, such as Driver, Project-X, Superfrog, Alien Breed, Assassin, Colonization, Descent II, Dizzy series ,Slightly Magic...
, with assistance from various leading figures from the real-world roller coaster and theme park industry. It was published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive was an American video game production and publishing subsidiary of Hasbro, the large game and toy company.Hasbro Interactive was formed late in 1995 in order to compete in the computer and video game arena. Several Hasbro properties, such as Monopoly and Scrabble, had already...
(which was sold to Infogrames
Infogrames
Infogrames Entertainment SA was an international French holding company headquartered in Paris, France. It was the owner of Atari, Inc., headquartered in New York City, U.S. and Atari Europe. It was founded in 1983 by Bruno Bonnell and Christophe Sapet using the proceeds from an introductory...
, and is now known as Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
). The game was a sleeper hit
Sleeper hit
A sleeper hit, a.k.a. surprise hit , refers to a film, book, single, album, TV show, or video game that gains unexpected success or recognition...
. 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
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D is an upcoming construction and management simulation video game developed by n-Space and will be published by Atari in March 2012...
will be released in March 2012 for the 3DS.
Games in series
Several games and expansion packs were released, as detailed below.Original games by Chris Sawyer:
- RollerCoaster TycoonRollerCoaster TycoonRollerCoaster Tycoon may refer to:*RollerCoaster Tycoon - a series of video games in which a player must manage an amusement park**RollerCoaster Tycoon - the first game, which came out in 1999...
(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 2RollerCoaster Tycoon 2RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 is a construction and management simulation computer game that simulates theme park management. Developed by Chris Sawyer and published by Infogrames, the game was released on October 15, 2002. It is the sequel to RollerCoaster Tycoon and is the second game in the...
(2002)
Expansions and sequels by Frontier:
-
- 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 3RollerCoaster Tycoon 3RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a construction and management simulation computer game. It is the third installment in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, first released on October 26, 2004 in North America...
(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 3DRollerCoaster Tycoon 3DRollerCoaster Tycoon 3D is an upcoming construction and management simulation video game developed by n-Space and will be published by Atari in March 2012...
(Q1 2012)
Other Gaming Media
The franchise also includes the RollerCoaster Tycoon board gameRollerCoaster Tycoon (board game)
The RollerCoaster Tycoon board game was published in 2002, the same year the video game RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 was released.-Gameplay:You must collect more guest points than your opponent over the course of two game years to win. To build rides, you must auction them off and the highest bidding...
, and a full-size Pinball
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
table, with ramps themed as roller coaster tracks.
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 AdventureChoose Your Own Adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actions and the plot's outcome. The series was based on a...
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
Spinoffs
Both ThrillvilleThrillville
Thrillville is a simulation and strategy video game that depicts theme park management, very similar to RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, which Frontier Developments also created. Thrillville is currently available for PlayStation 2, PSP and Xbox.-Plot:...
and Thrillville: Off The Rails
Thrillville: Off the Rails
Thrillville: Off the Rails is a theme park simulation video game developed by Frontier Developments. The sequel to the 2006 game Thrillville, it is again published by LucasArts...
are considered spinoffs to RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a construction and management simulation computer game. It is the third installment in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, first released on October 26, 2004 in North America...
, as they feature almost exactly the same gameplay and were both made by Frontier Developments
Frontier Developments
Frontier Developments is a video game developer based in Cambridge, England. It is a private limited company and was incorporated in January 1994. The company is still headed by David Braben, in the position of Chairman....
. However, they remove the overhead camera view and add the ability to play mini games and to chat
Conversation
Conversation is a form of interactive, spontaneous communication between two or more people who are following rules of etiquette.Conversation analysis is a branch of sociology which studies the structure and organization of human interaction, with a more specific focus on conversational...
with park guests, making it seem more realistic.
Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation is an American computer-animated film production company owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, founded in May 2002. It is working closely with Sony Pictures Imageworks, which takes care of the digital production...
has reserved the rights to a feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
based on the video game franchise. They plan to make it a "live-action/CGI hybrid
Live-action/animated film
A live-action/animated film is a motion picture that features a combination of real actors or elements: live-action and animated elements, typically interacting.-History:...
". Harald Zwart
Harald Zwart
Harald Zwart is a Norwegian film director.Although born in the Netherlands, Zwart was raised in Fredrikstad in Norway. As early as age eight, he started making short films. He attended the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam where he received great acclaim for his student film Gabriel's Surprise...
will be involved in the project.
Game description
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
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
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
, and entertainers to keep guests entertained. Although not usually necessary, players are also given a wide array of tools for landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
. 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
Nausea
Nausea , is a sensation of unease and discomfort in the upper stomach with an involuntary urge to vomit. It often, but not always, precedes vomiting...
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
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a construction and management simulation computer game. It is the third installment in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, first released on October 26, 2004 in North America...
, 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.