91 replies to this topic

[RC14]

I think Chris saw it more as a scenario type game, which is probably why RCT1 is so much stronger in scenario play than the others are. There's many people who strictly played the game for the scenarios.

But a second type of player came along who wanted less "Tycoon"-style play and more park design style play, that's where the desire for the sandbox and more choices came in. Just different visions for the game.

I liked both the "Tycoon"-style play, and the sandbox. I miss the scenarios but I like being able to create my own scenarios.

[GTO@2]

Sorry guys, but I still just can not understand this belief that Sawyer is supposed to somehow be the 'savior' of RCT. His involvement with the game (other than having his name on the box and in the credits...) is well know to have been almost NIL since back at the beginning of rct2, and rct2 was pretty much a revamped rct1 with some tweaks, otherwise the gameplay was pretty much the same.

Where do you see the innovation that you seem to think he will bring? Did you look at Locomotion? How many years has it been since the rct1 series came out?

It's also well known that he disliked some of the features and gameplay that Infogrames (Atari) insisted be added because of their market research...things that many people in the community actually asked for... Rct2 already has had TWO expansions, both were crap, and while it's doubtful that Sawyer had much to do with either of them, his name was still on the product. And now he's supposed to ride in and whip out some rct2 expansion pack that includeds things people want or magically completely re-do rct3? Based on what?

I recognize and salute him as the inventor of this great game, but as far as anything else - look at the record...

Ok, he would not have been the savior, but he would have surely done better than Atari or Fronteir. BTW, What's this Lawsuit hes filing against Atari?

[wabigbear]

Ok, he would not have been the savior, but he would have surely done better than Atari or Fronteir. BTW, What's this Lawsuit hes filing against Atari?

I'm not convinced of that when it comes to Frontier...he seems to be close friends with David Braben, the head of Frontier. Both Frontier and Atari are to blame for RCT3's problems...Frontier for crappy coding and poor game-play and Atari for rushing the product when they knew it was buggy, and then not fixing the bugs.



The lawsuit was filed when Sawyer felt that the payments he was getting from Atari were too low in light of the fact that RCT2 and 3 were such popular games. Per his contract with Atari, he asked for an audit of the books, Atari seems to have blown him off, and he sued to force them to open them and to pay him what he beleives Atari owes him...something like $12-14 million dollars I think.



Of course Atari, and it's parent Infogrames are in deep financial problems right now, and it's iffy if one or both will even survive.

[GTO@2]

Thanks.

[lucas92]

Well, my sister just bought rct3 yesterday with the soaked expansion pack. I just played a little with it and the only thing that I think is wrong is the size of the scenery and rides box. We can't see much of the available scenery and that what bugs me. The only major improvment for me is the coastercam, I like the fact that we can ride our rides.

I don't have the lag and bugs problems (powerfull computer I think).
Anyway, I played much more longer with rct2 so I'll stay with it. Rct3 is for scenario players so it isn't for me : I much more like those high quality parks...

[Sambo]

Rct3 is for scenario players so it isn't for me : I much more like those high quality parks...

WHAT??!



I don't think you have been paying attention. I and many others have never played one of the RCT3 scenarios - and the poor scenario play is one of the major complaints from those who do. "High quality parks?" There it is a matter of personal preference I suppose - I love the RCT2 parks, but in this builder's opinion the quality of the parks possible is much superior in RCT3. The cartoonish quality of RCT2 is part of the charm, but you can't take "photos" that illustrate the beauty of your parks the way you can in RCT3. It's an isometric cartoon view. I would love to see what some of the truly great RCT2 parkmakers could do if they just spent time with RCT3. I think of some of Citytrader's, and Wabigbear's work as an example. Beautiful RCT2 work - Beautiful RCT3 work...

[lucas92]

WHAT??!



I don't think you have been paying attention. I and many others have never played one of the RCT3 scenarios - and the poor scenario play is one of the major complaints from those who do. "High quality parks?" There it is a matter of personal preference I suppose - I love the RCT2 parks, but in this builder's opinion the quality of the parks possible is much superior in RCT3. The cartoonish quality of RCT2 is part of the charm, but you can't take "photos" that illustrate the beauty of your parks the way you can in RCT3. It's an isometric cartoon view. I would love to see what some of the truly great RCT2 parkmakers could do if they just spent time with RCT3. I think of some of Citytrader's, and Wabigbear's work as an example. Beautiful RCT2 work - Beautiful RCT3 work...

Huh, well, I never said that there is no way to build "high quality" parks in Rct3. I just don't see myself bugging around a weird scenery box that you always have to scroll down. We can put trees around a coaster with a flat landscape and it looks good! Try it in rct2 and you'll see that it needs more than that to make it looks good.

Edited by lucas92, 25 August 2006 - 09:43 PM.

[Sambo]

...We can put trees around a coaster with a flat landscape and it looks good! Try it in rct2 and you'll see that it needs more than that to make it looks good.

I think we can disagree on this point as well. It takes more than placing trees around a coaster with a flat landscape in both versions to look good. Great parks are not just good. Because of the limited viewing angles in RCT2 I've been able to use foliage to mask irregular design as it can't then be seen from one of the only four viewing angles. Something that because of the ability to look anywhere - cannot be done as easily in RCT3. You must actually have good design that can withstand that increased level of scrutiny. Just putting trees around something does that less in RCT3 - not more, or even the same. I think RCT3 forces a builder to work harder at good design for that very reason.

[CrAzEd]

I own every single CD that says RCT on it. All the way from RCT1 up to RCT: Wild! Everytime i even consider playing a game on the PC, it's ALWAYS RCT. Why? Simply cos it's the best sim ever invented. Round of applause to Chris Sawyer.

However, I have to say, i absolutly agree that the Rollercoaster Tycoon Franchise is more or less over. The latest series RCT3 has re-vamped it's style of gameplay, probably for the better. But like most of us know, you need a powerful machine to even just get the game running just well enough to sample some of the scenerios provided with small maps. And it frustrates ALOT of people, even myself. Sure, i work, but i dont earn enough to upgrade every month just to fulfill the satisfaction of fun that the franchise is well known to inject.

Having said that, i know that most of you probably think of me as impatient and should wait till technology advances and becomes more and more cheaper and widely available to the rest of us. But then what? by then the "lucky" few will be more expereinced by then, building phenomenal parks, have most of the newly created objects, whilst then making us look like minors, despite being an active user of the game since it first came out.

It really saddens me now that my favourite all time game is now half the fun it used to be.

What i really want is for RCT4 to go back in time, reconstructing the entire backbone that supports the original RCT series and add the few select features that RCT3 now offers, such as day/night features, water parks, multigendered people and age, some more colours and finally an imrpoved A.I of the guest would be a great acquisition for the game. I'd love to add the "ride the ride" feature and the ability to walk around the park on foot, but if the game engine is 2D then it wouldn't work.

I doubt that Atari or Frontier, or Chris Sawyer himself would consider even doing a new RCT4, either it may be 2D or 3D. So, as a final sentence.....

I'm going to continue playing RCT2 till the last man standing in the forums then pray by then i havent got a receding hairline and zimmerframe by the time i'm able to SMOOThly run RCT3.

Over and Out

Edited by CrAzEd, 20 September 2006 - 01:05 PM.

[wabigbear]

Good post CrAzEd!



I for one would not consider you 'impatient' about not being able to play RCT3 smoothly. The fact remains that we were sold a game that the vast majority of us stuggle with. I can't for the life understand the notion that I bought and paid for a game that I won't be able to play smoothly for a number of years yet...