-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
R C T 2: Screenshots!
- Thread starter CrashNet
- Start date
Ok....
I have added a new Mirror Page with the new RCT 2 screenshots on it, but to save time while editing my signature, the FIRST link (the one without the words MIRROR SITE) is the new page. Here is the link:
RCT2 Screenshots Page 2: Mirror Site
Let me know if it goes down again.
I have added a new Mirror Page with the new RCT 2 screenshots on it, but to save time while editing my signature, the FIRST link (the one without the words MIRROR SITE) is the new page. Here is the link:
RCT2 Screenshots Page 2: Mirror Site
Let me know if it goes down again.
Testtrack321
Well-Known Member
Neat-oo! It also appears that you can now theme stalls too!
It is extremely late, so I can't do it tonight, but tomorrow at around 5:30 PM EST(when I get off work), expect a HUMUNGUS UPDATE with a preview, new screenshots, and videos! Check back at around 5:30 PM EST or earlier! Thats when the fun is going to begin!
CmdrTostada
Member
Youre going to make me wait? Hurry up and finish your work!!
Hurry up and finish your work!!wdwfanatic17
Member
Great post and thanx for updating your site and telling us.
I have a question?
What is a "sandbox?" poeple are saying that RCT 2 does not have one, but i have no iea what a sandbox is.
THANX
I have a question?
What is a "sandbox?" poeple are saying that RCT 2 does not have one, but i have no iea what a sandbox is.
THANX
I am so sorry for not being here on time. I had a family emergency I had to take care of.
Give me around 10-15 minutes and I should have everything underway and put up. I will put the easiest stuff, the previews, up first so you can read them while I put together the screenshot pages. I have a template already setup from the last two times, so it shouldn't be too long.
As for the Sandbox mode wdwfanatic17: The sandbox mode means you have flat land with no trees, all of the rides, no goals to meet, and unlimited money. RCT 2 won't come with one, but with its scenerio editor you wil be able to create one.
Let me get working on those pics, previews, and FOUR videos! Brace yourselves!:lol:
Give me around 10-15 minutes and I should have everything underway and put up. I will put the easiest stuff, the previews, up first so you can read them while I put together the screenshot pages. I have a template already setup from the last two times, so it shouldn't be too long.
As for the Sandbox mode wdwfanatic17: The sandbox mode means you have flat land with no trees, all of the rides, no goals to meet, and unlimited money. RCT 2 won't come with one, but with its scenerio editor you wil be able to create one.
Let me get working on those pics, previews, and FOUR videos! Brace yourselves!:lol:
UPDATE...Two Previews
Here is the first of the all of the new stuff. It is an FIRST IMPRESSIONS preview done by Gamespot.com after getting to play the beta version of RCT 2.
This is from www.gamespot.com:
RollerCoaster Tycoon II impressions
We check out the sequel to the popular theme park builder.
Infogrames was showing off the latest build of RollerCoaster Tycoon II at its press event. Citing its incredible commercial success, the development team is staying as close to the original RollerCoaster Tycoon formula as possible, but fans of the original game will find a host of improvements. Potential park size has been substantially increased to a 256x256-square area, allowing players to build larger parks with even more roller coasters. In addition, the graphics engine has been refined not only to allow for smoother scrolling but also to let you see different areas of the park. For example, if you want to get a good look at one of your roller coasters, and one section of it is located behind an object, then you can go into the menu and toggle scenery off and on to get a better look. Likewise, you can make the rides disappear as well if you need to get a direct look at the land.
RollerCoaster Tycoon II also features actual parks like Six Flags Magic Mountain, which had 2,775 guests walking around in the demo we watched. As we saw, RollerCoaster Tycoon II will let you track information on each of these visitors and find out how they're feeling about the park and how much time they spend in particular areas. This is helpful for changing your park around to suit the needs of your visitors.
The game also comes packaged with a scenario editor that lets you define a number of settings, ranging from the types of objects and themes to the types of footpaths. The scenario editor also lets you manipulate the environment with relative ease--all you need to do is select a particular tileset, such as water, and then designate the area that it covers and, in the case of hills, designate the altitude. In addition, trees and other similar objects can be put into the map in batches.
The roller coaster designer is also designed to be easy to use, though it may seem a little overwhelming at first. You can construct your roller coaster with various parts, and when you're done, you can test it out and measure the number of G's your guests will experience in parts of the ride and then determine what parts you need to change to make it more enjoyable. We'll have more on RollerCoaster Tycoon II before its October 15 release.
By Giancarlo Varanini, GameSpot PC
__________________________________________________
There was a second preview from IGN.com, but apparently they decided to move it to INSIDER ONLY MEMBERS, meaning you have to chuck out $25 just to read a stupid article.
[EDIT]After pulling some strings and looking through URLs, I found how to get to the article. Look for it in a post below
__________________________________________________
I'll have the screenshots up in the next 10 minutes or so. Keep checking back!
Here is the first of the all of the new stuff. It is an FIRST IMPRESSIONS preview done by Gamespot.com after getting to play the beta version of RCT 2.
This is from www.gamespot.com:
RollerCoaster Tycoon II impressions
We check out the sequel to the popular theme park builder.
Infogrames was showing off the latest build of RollerCoaster Tycoon II at its press event. Citing its incredible commercial success, the development team is staying as close to the original RollerCoaster Tycoon formula as possible, but fans of the original game will find a host of improvements. Potential park size has been substantially increased to a 256x256-square area, allowing players to build larger parks with even more roller coasters. In addition, the graphics engine has been refined not only to allow for smoother scrolling but also to let you see different areas of the park. For example, if you want to get a good look at one of your roller coasters, and one section of it is located behind an object, then you can go into the menu and toggle scenery off and on to get a better look. Likewise, you can make the rides disappear as well if you need to get a direct look at the land.
RollerCoaster Tycoon II also features actual parks like Six Flags Magic Mountain, which had 2,775 guests walking around in the demo we watched. As we saw, RollerCoaster Tycoon II will let you track information on each of these visitors and find out how they're feeling about the park and how much time they spend in particular areas. This is helpful for changing your park around to suit the needs of your visitors.
The game also comes packaged with a scenario editor that lets you define a number of settings, ranging from the types of objects and themes to the types of footpaths. The scenario editor also lets you manipulate the environment with relative ease--all you need to do is select a particular tileset, such as water, and then designate the area that it covers and, in the case of hills, designate the altitude. In addition, trees and other similar objects can be put into the map in batches.
The roller coaster designer is also designed to be easy to use, though it may seem a little overwhelming at first. You can construct your roller coaster with various parts, and when you're done, you can test it out and measure the number of G's your guests will experience in parts of the ride and then determine what parts you need to change to make it more enjoyable. We'll have more on RollerCoaster Tycoon II before its October 15 release.
By Giancarlo Varanini, GameSpot PC
__________________________________________________
There was a second preview from IGN.com, but apparently they decided to move it to INSIDER ONLY MEMBERS, meaning you have to chuck out $25 just to read a stupid article.
[EDIT]After pulling some strings and looking through URLs, I found how to get to the article. Look for it in a post below
__________________________________________________
I'll have the screenshots up in the next 10 minutes or so. Keep checking back!
UPDATE...New Screenshots!
Hello again. Sorry for the delay. I am trying to take care of my sister at the same time (emergency I talked about earlier). Here are the new screenshots. I didn't have time to make Mirror Sites, so please do me a favor and watch how many times you click on the links. My bandwidth is kind of low and if it is clicked on to many times, the site will be down for at least 2 hours. THANKS!
Anyway, here are the links. I have also updated my signature:
RCT2 Screenshots Page 3
RCT2 Screenshots Page 4
I'll have the movies up after I eat dinner. Keep checking back!
Hello again. Sorry for the delay. I am trying to take care of my sister at the same time (emergency I talked about earlier). Here are the new screenshots. I didn't have time to make Mirror Sites, so please do me a favor and watch how many times you click on the links. My bandwidth is kind of low and if it is clicked on to many times, the site will be down for at least 2 hours. THANKS!
Anyway, here are the links. I have also updated my signature:
RCT2 Screenshots Page 3
RCT2 Screenshots Page 4
I'll have the movies up after I eat dinner. Keep checking back!
UPDATE...IGN Article
Here is the IGN Article. Get a drink and some popcorn because it is kind of long.
From www.ign.com:
Roller Coaster Tycoon II Hands-On
We finally get our hands on the sequel to one of the most addictive games ever. Movies inside.
August 07, 2002 - About 3 years ago, as I was sitting at home picking my nose and looking for jobs, I ran across an article about Roller Coaster Tycoon. While I didn't have a whole lot of money, seeing as the whole "burden on society" thing doesn't pay a whole lot, I did have a computer as well as an endless itch to play games. After playing the short and frustratingly incomplete demo, I wandered to one of those electronic megastores and bought a copy. I was already addicted even though I hadn't even opened the box. That teasing little demo had sunk its evil little claws deep into my wretchedly lazy flesh and wouldn't let go. Roller Coaster Tycoon had claimed me as one of its over 3 million victims. And while I can't say I have a whole lot of time to jump back in and build my own theme parks anymore, the itch still overcomes me every now and again and I find myself glued to the computer for a day refining and perfecting coasters, making sure my parks are barf free, and trying to extort as much money from my happy park goers as I can. But now I'm happily being told to play in theme park wonderland yet again. All because of the Infogrames' press event and the beta build of Roller Coaster Tycoon II they sent home with me. I can feel it taking hold of me again... and I love it.
Of course, it's no real surprise that the game should have this kind of effect on me, it's immediately familiar. Loading the game up is like saying hello to an old friend. Mainly because the look of the game and basic gameplay is still much the same as the original games. Those that were hoping for a complete overhaul to the franchise with a new graphics engine and all of the accruements should stop thinking about it because it isn't going to happen in the near future.
While the decision to stay with the same seems a little odd to me, Chris Sawyer is trying to walk the line between adding new things and keeping the same huge fan base. One of the main ways to keep the mainstream audience is to make it familiar to the crowd in terms of look and gameplay. So those that have taken the time to get familiar with the interface and construction techniques will be able to jump back into the game with little to no difficulty.
Of course, this isn't to say that there are no changes at all. I had the chance to see the game yesterday at the event and play the game last night and today to check out some of the new features and I gotta say, they seem to me to add a lot to potential park design, customization, and creativity. All of the changes are useful for different reasons, but come in the broad categories of functional and aesthetic.
While the game may look pretty much the same as you've seen in the past from basic screenshots, the engine has been upgraded to handle some new things. First off, you'll be able to customize most objects with different colors. So if you want a different colored brick wall, you'll have the chance to change it. If you think that dinosaur theme should be yellow, screw realism and go for it. There's nothing wrong with pink and bright green buildings... well yes there is, but you can still do it.
Animations have been improved quite a bit. It's hard to tell from the screens or movies, but animations on buildings and rides have been improved quite a bit with many more frames per second giving much more realistic and smoother movements. Many of the new objects added to the game will also be animated adding even more enjoyable things to catch the eyes of your park guests.
One of the major additions to building parks this time around in terms of creative resources is the ability to stack objects including walls. Now you don't have to settle for the buildings that they provide for you in the game, you can build your own bigger buildings by stacking walls on top of each other and adding a roof. The possibilities are pretty boundless if you're willing to spend the time perfecting your creation. Just check out the screens. In a few of them you'll see a scenario where you'll have to build a park inside of a castle. The castle was built using these tools. While this new feature is mainly to add visual interest to a park, the added ability to build these structures around coasters will only add to their excitement levels. All you have to do to stack objects is hit the shift key while on an occupied tile and see whatever object you've decided to place appear on top of the original object.
Our friend the shift key also adds another layer of functionality and ease of construction. Holding down the shift key will allow you to raise and lower any object on supports, including the beginning tracks for your roller coasters. If you hold the shift key and the mouse key down while placing an object and then move the mouse up and down, you'll see buildings and objects raise and lower with ease. You'll also notice that they can sink underground for the first time allowing for some really cleverly designed rides and tunnel systems. You could pretty easily build an entire park underground if you really wanted to.
To go along with the object raising and lowering systems is an additional terraforming option that lets you raise and lower land a little smoother than you could in the past. If you remember, you used to have to raise a giant block of land and then raise and lower sides of the individual blocks one at a time to create smooth slopes. The new functionality does this for you. I'm not exactly sure how this is done at the moment. You see, I'm a little stupid... yes, I know, I'm crushing all of your worldly views, but it had to be done sometime. I know that it works though because I saw the demo yesterday. I'm just too lame to be able to find it by myself at the moment.
Building coasters remains the same as it was in the original game. The view remains isometric with the ability to rotate the camera into four different views. Perhaps the biggest addition for the expert coaster designers out there is the Coaster Designer. This feature allows you to build any kind of coaster you'd like to without interference from time limits or monetary consideration. This is done in a flat blank arena where you can save your coaster afterwards for importation into scenarios or upload onto the Internet. Of course, when you import your coaster, you'll have to pay the cost of the coaster to import it, so you'll need to take that into consideration as you build your super duper whirly coaster of vomiting fun.
The one thing you'll find different is that coasters can go quite a bit higher than they were in the past able to. If you remember, the highest you could get a coaster previously was 200 feet. You'll now be able to lift some coasters up to a whopping 400 feet. Not only does this allow for some new types of rides like Superman: The Escape at Six Flags Magic Mountain down outside of LA. It will also allow you to set up some serious sloping rides down the side of some tall mountains.
Of course, with the increased possible height of coasters, it was only natural for the maps to get bigger as well. Now parks can get to enormous proportions. Previously parks could get as big as 128x128 but now you get to double the product with a max size of 256x256 meaning you'll be able to fit a ton of guests in your park at the same time. The game can keep track of a ton of individually named guests and their expanded memories this time around.
As you would guess, there are plenty of new scenarios for you to dip into this time around including some that are based off of various Six Flags theme parks, hence the endorsement on the box. All scenarios are broken down into different difficulty levels so you'll know what you're getting into right off the bat. This will also work for the user created scenarios. When you create a scenario, you'll just check off a box that labels it as beginner to expert depending on how hard you think the level is.
The scenario editor itself is a nice tool as well giving you all of the opportunity in the world to create some creative levels for players across the world to download. The editor allows you to include and exclude anything and everything that you want. If you don't want players to be able to create any food stands, just don't check it off, it's that easy. Everything down to the amount of starting money and amount that can be borrowed can be customized. It also is a pretty good way to create a park without any pressure on you to beat a goal. Of course, you can just create yourself a scenario with unlimited funds and unlimited time so you can see the crowds and their reaction as well giving players that sandbox mode they've been asking for.
Now all I need is a copy of the game that has a save feature so I don't have to restart scenarios and keep my coasters from disappearing after I've spent an hour building them. Damn you people for teasing me like this!!
Production is going along at a grand click having reached beta 5 days prior to deadline. That Chris Sawyer is damn efficient. Infogrames is expecting Roller Coaster Tycoon II to reach gold September 2nd and hopefully hit store shelves October 15th. So keep your eyes out for the announcements.
Here is the IGN Article. Get a drink and some popcorn because it is kind of long.
From www.ign.com:
Roller Coaster Tycoon II Hands-On
We finally get our hands on the sequel to one of the most addictive games ever. Movies inside.
August 07, 2002 - About 3 years ago, as I was sitting at home picking my nose and looking for jobs, I ran across an article about Roller Coaster Tycoon. While I didn't have a whole lot of money, seeing as the whole "burden on society" thing doesn't pay a whole lot, I did have a computer as well as an endless itch to play games. After playing the short and frustratingly incomplete demo, I wandered to one of those electronic megastores and bought a copy. I was already addicted even though I hadn't even opened the box. That teasing little demo had sunk its evil little claws deep into my wretchedly lazy flesh and wouldn't let go. Roller Coaster Tycoon had claimed me as one of its over 3 million victims. And while I can't say I have a whole lot of time to jump back in and build my own theme parks anymore, the itch still overcomes me every now and again and I find myself glued to the computer for a day refining and perfecting coasters, making sure my parks are barf free, and trying to extort as much money from my happy park goers as I can. But now I'm happily being told to play in theme park wonderland yet again. All because of the Infogrames' press event and the beta build of Roller Coaster Tycoon II they sent home with me. I can feel it taking hold of me again... and I love it.
Of course, it's no real surprise that the game should have this kind of effect on me, it's immediately familiar. Loading the game up is like saying hello to an old friend. Mainly because the look of the game and basic gameplay is still much the same as the original games. Those that were hoping for a complete overhaul to the franchise with a new graphics engine and all of the accruements should stop thinking about it because it isn't going to happen in the near future.
While the decision to stay with the same seems a little odd to me, Chris Sawyer is trying to walk the line between adding new things and keeping the same huge fan base. One of the main ways to keep the mainstream audience is to make it familiar to the crowd in terms of look and gameplay. So those that have taken the time to get familiar with the interface and construction techniques will be able to jump back into the game with little to no difficulty.
Of course, this isn't to say that there are no changes at all. I had the chance to see the game yesterday at the event and play the game last night and today to check out some of the new features and I gotta say, they seem to me to add a lot to potential park design, customization, and creativity. All of the changes are useful for different reasons, but come in the broad categories of functional and aesthetic.
While the game may look pretty much the same as you've seen in the past from basic screenshots, the engine has been upgraded to handle some new things. First off, you'll be able to customize most objects with different colors. So if you want a different colored brick wall, you'll have the chance to change it. If you think that dinosaur theme should be yellow, screw realism and go for it. There's nothing wrong with pink and bright green buildings... well yes there is, but you can still do it.
Animations have been improved quite a bit. It's hard to tell from the screens or movies, but animations on buildings and rides have been improved quite a bit with many more frames per second giving much more realistic and smoother movements. Many of the new objects added to the game will also be animated adding even more enjoyable things to catch the eyes of your park guests.
One of the major additions to building parks this time around in terms of creative resources is the ability to stack objects including walls. Now you don't have to settle for the buildings that they provide for you in the game, you can build your own bigger buildings by stacking walls on top of each other and adding a roof. The possibilities are pretty boundless if you're willing to spend the time perfecting your creation. Just check out the screens. In a few of them you'll see a scenario where you'll have to build a park inside of a castle. The castle was built using these tools. While this new feature is mainly to add visual interest to a park, the added ability to build these structures around coasters will only add to their excitement levels. All you have to do to stack objects is hit the shift key while on an occupied tile and see whatever object you've decided to place appear on top of the original object.
Our friend the shift key also adds another layer of functionality and ease of construction. Holding down the shift key will allow you to raise and lower any object on supports, including the beginning tracks for your roller coasters. If you hold the shift key and the mouse key down while placing an object and then move the mouse up and down, you'll see buildings and objects raise and lower with ease. You'll also notice that they can sink underground for the first time allowing for some really cleverly designed rides and tunnel systems. You could pretty easily build an entire park underground if you really wanted to.
To go along with the object raising and lowering systems is an additional terraforming option that lets you raise and lower land a little smoother than you could in the past. If you remember, you used to have to raise a giant block of land and then raise and lower sides of the individual blocks one at a time to create smooth slopes. The new functionality does this for you. I'm not exactly sure how this is done at the moment. You see, I'm a little stupid... yes, I know, I'm crushing all of your worldly views, but it had to be done sometime. I know that it works though because I saw the demo yesterday. I'm just too lame to be able to find it by myself at the moment.
Building coasters remains the same as it was in the original game. The view remains isometric with the ability to rotate the camera into four different views. Perhaps the biggest addition for the expert coaster designers out there is the Coaster Designer. This feature allows you to build any kind of coaster you'd like to without interference from time limits or monetary consideration. This is done in a flat blank arena where you can save your coaster afterwards for importation into scenarios or upload onto the Internet. Of course, when you import your coaster, you'll have to pay the cost of the coaster to import it, so you'll need to take that into consideration as you build your super duper whirly coaster of vomiting fun.
The one thing you'll find different is that coasters can go quite a bit higher than they were in the past able to. If you remember, the highest you could get a coaster previously was 200 feet. You'll now be able to lift some coasters up to a whopping 400 feet. Not only does this allow for some new types of rides like Superman: The Escape at Six Flags Magic Mountain down outside of LA. It will also allow you to set up some serious sloping rides down the side of some tall mountains.
Of course, with the increased possible height of coasters, it was only natural for the maps to get bigger as well. Now parks can get to enormous proportions. Previously parks could get as big as 128x128 but now you get to double the product with a max size of 256x256 meaning you'll be able to fit a ton of guests in your park at the same time. The game can keep track of a ton of individually named guests and their expanded memories this time around.
As you would guess, there are plenty of new scenarios for you to dip into this time around including some that are based off of various Six Flags theme parks, hence the endorsement on the box. All scenarios are broken down into different difficulty levels so you'll know what you're getting into right off the bat. This will also work for the user created scenarios. When you create a scenario, you'll just check off a box that labels it as beginner to expert depending on how hard you think the level is.
The scenario editor itself is a nice tool as well giving you all of the opportunity in the world to create some creative levels for players across the world to download. The editor allows you to include and exclude anything and everything that you want. If you don't want players to be able to create any food stands, just don't check it off, it's that easy. Everything down to the amount of starting money and amount that can be borrowed can be customized. It also is a pretty good way to create a park without any pressure on you to beat a goal. Of course, you can just create yourself a scenario with unlimited funds and unlimited time so you can see the crowds and their reaction as well giving players that sandbox mode they've been asking for.
Now all I need is a copy of the game that has a save feature so I don't have to restart scenarios and keep my coasters from disappearing after I've spent an hour building them. Damn you people for teasing me like this!!
Production is going along at a grand click having reached beta 5 days prior to deadline. That Chris Sawyer is damn efficient. Infogrames is expecting Roller Coaster Tycoon II to reach gold September 2nd and hopefully hit store shelves October 15th. So keep your eyes out for the announcements.
UPDATE....5 Movies!
And for the final addition to this HUMUNGUS update, here are the links to FIVE videos! Enjoy!
Also, here is the links for all of the pictures for those who can't see my pages. Don't worry, I'm still working on it!
Newest Screenshots
www.rollercoastertycoon.com
There are a TON of links in this post, so let me know if any of them don't work!
Ok everyone, I'm exhausted!:lol: Anyway, keep checking back for all of the latest updates on RollerCoaster Tycoon 2!
And for the final addition to this HUMUNGUS update, here are the links to FIVE videos! Enjoy!
- Building a Coaster In the Designer: 11862
http://pcmovies.ign.com/pc/video/rct2005.mov - Nifty Coaster On and Under a Hill: 4188Kb
http://pcmovies.ign.com/pc/video/rct2004.mov - Raising and Stacking Objects: 4919Kb
http://pcmovies.ign.com/pc/video/rct2003.mov - More Magic Mountain Fun: 4469Kb
http://pcmovies.ign.com/pc/video/rct2002.mov - Viper In Action at Magic Mountain: 4617Kb
http://pcmovies.ign.com/pc/video/rct2001.mov
Also, here is the links for all of the pictures for those who can't see my pages. Don't worry, I'm still working on it!
Newest Screenshots
www.rollercoastertycoon.com
There are a TON of links in this post, so let me know if any of them don't work!
Ok everyone, I'm exhausted!:lol: Anyway, keep checking back for all of the latest updates on RollerCoaster Tycoon 2!
Legacy
Well-Known Member
Haha... so is mine... but Iam sure you are getting enough cookies through the internet for all this stuff then it is worth. Anyway, those videos arent compatible with Windows Media... or am I jsut a duflunk who cant figure it out. I really want to see them, but I dont know what format or player I need to use.
Any help would be greatly appreciated...
You are doing a great job though.
Thats right, I'm sorry. I meant to let you know what to use with that program. Those videos are compatable with Quicktime. It is a very WIDELY used program, just like Windows Media Player. You can go here to download the free player:
Quicktime Download Page
Sorry about that!
UPDATE...New Preview/Review
Well to keep up with www.GameSpot.com and www.IGN.com, www.GameSpy.com has recently released a preview of RCT II. Enjoy!
This is an article done by www.GameSpy.com. Its a preview for, of course, RCT II:
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 (PC)
The game that helped spawn the tycoon craze is back and ready to double the fun.
By Sal "Sluggo" Accardo | August 11, 2002
Game Stats
Platform: Windows
Game Type: Strategy
Developer: Chris Sawyer
Publisher: Infogrames
Release Date: Q4 2002
Full Game Information
It was only a few years ago that Chris Sawyer did something that's almost unthinkable today: single-handedly develop a game and have it go on to sell millions of copies. But with RollerCoaster Tycoon and its two expansion packs -- Loopy Landscapes and Corkscrew Follies-- that's exactly what he did, helping to spawn a wave of Fill-In-The-Blank Tycoon games in the process.
The reason I say "almost" is because Sawyer is at it again, working hard on a true sequel, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2. We had a chance to take a close look at the upcoming theme-park management sim, and it appears that it could double the fun for all the fans of the original.
Since the first RC Tycoon moved a few million units, the general formula isn't being tampered with -- you'll manage your park, build concession stands, construct rides, and overall endeavor to create as successful a theme park as possible. The goal of the sequel is really to add as much as possible without altering the core gameplay, and one of the biggest additions is the inclusion of the Six Flags license, as well as 5 actual Six Flags theme parks. The parks included are California's Magic Mountain, New Jersey's Great Adventure, and the Six Flags parks in Texas, Belgium and Holland.
If you played the original RC Tycoon and dreamed about adding Magic Mountain's "Goliath" or Great Adventure's "Rolling Thunder" to your arsenal, you can do so. Advertisement
We were told that photographs were taken of the actual parks to help portray them as accurately as possible, but being a veteran of Great Adventure myself, I can say they're not quite the same as the originals, although many of the same rides can be found.
In any case, these parks couldn't have been included if the park sizes hadn't been upped significantly. Maps can now be roughly twice as big as in the original game, and you now also have the ability to track the activities of every single person in the park. At one point in our playtesting, there were 2776 people wandering around Magic Mountain, and we were able to bring up a window listing giving us the names of every single person, what they were doing, and whether they were happy or not. In addition to the Six Flags attractions, a number of other parks are included to play with. There are 3 "beginner" parks, 7 "challenging" parks, and 5 "expert" parks. A few simple tutorials are also being included, giving overviews on running your park and contructing roller coaster.
While the original Rollercoaster Tycoon had a ride editor, RC Tycoon 2 will ship with a complete scenario editor, so you can build complete parks and missions with victory conditions, etc. In addition to the larger maps, you can build at much higher elevations this time around, both with rides and terrain. The park editor has a large palette of tools to play with -- you can build parks in a variety of themes (Roman, Egyptian, etc), place trees and plants, deform terrain, and much more.
You'll have to get some experience with the editor before you start producing Six Flags-quality parks (our first attempts came out pretty sorry-looking), but it looks like there's enough functionality to satisfy those who simply have to build their own dream park. All the rides in the Six Flags parks are available to use throughout the game, so if you want to create your own mega-park with only the best rides, you can do so.
Graphics were never the strongest suit of Rollercoaster Tycoon, and while RCT2's graphics aren't going to make anyone forget about Warcraft 3, they have been improved. The game can now match whatever resolution you're running your PC at (it was capped in RCT1), and the game sports faster graphics and smoother animations. In fact, a few of the coasters in RCT2 contain more animations than the entire original game.
Rollercoaster Tycoon was a huge success, and the sequel appears focused on providing the same basic gameplay while making everything bigger and better. The Six Flags parks seem like a great addition, and the scenario editor could extend the game's life for years to come. Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 is currently in beta and should be released this October.
Well to keep up with www.GameSpot.com and www.IGN.com, www.GameSpy.com has recently released a preview of RCT II. Enjoy!
This is an article done by www.GameSpy.com. Its a preview for, of course, RCT II:
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 (PC)
The game that helped spawn the tycoon craze is back and ready to double the fun.
By Sal "Sluggo" Accardo | August 11, 2002
Game Stats
Platform: Windows
Game Type: Strategy
Developer: Chris Sawyer
Publisher: Infogrames
Release Date: Q4 2002
Full Game Information
It was only a few years ago that Chris Sawyer did something that's almost unthinkable today: single-handedly develop a game and have it go on to sell millions of copies. But with RollerCoaster Tycoon and its two expansion packs -- Loopy Landscapes and Corkscrew Follies-- that's exactly what he did, helping to spawn a wave of Fill-In-The-Blank Tycoon games in the process.
The reason I say "almost" is because Sawyer is at it again, working hard on a true sequel, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2. We had a chance to take a close look at the upcoming theme-park management sim, and it appears that it could double the fun for all the fans of the original.
Since the first RC Tycoon moved a few million units, the general formula isn't being tampered with -- you'll manage your park, build concession stands, construct rides, and overall endeavor to create as successful a theme park as possible. The goal of the sequel is really to add as much as possible without altering the core gameplay, and one of the biggest additions is the inclusion of the Six Flags license, as well as 5 actual Six Flags theme parks. The parks included are California's Magic Mountain, New Jersey's Great Adventure, and the Six Flags parks in Texas, Belgium and Holland.
If you played the original RC Tycoon and dreamed about adding Magic Mountain's "Goliath" or Great Adventure's "Rolling Thunder" to your arsenal, you can do so. Advertisement
We were told that photographs were taken of the actual parks to help portray them as accurately as possible, but being a veteran of Great Adventure myself, I can say they're not quite the same as the originals, although many of the same rides can be found.
In any case, these parks couldn't have been included if the park sizes hadn't been upped significantly. Maps can now be roughly twice as big as in the original game, and you now also have the ability to track the activities of every single person in the park. At one point in our playtesting, there were 2776 people wandering around Magic Mountain, and we were able to bring up a window listing giving us the names of every single person, what they were doing, and whether they were happy or not. In addition to the Six Flags attractions, a number of other parks are included to play with. There are 3 "beginner" parks, 7 "challenging" parks, and 5 "expert" parks. A few simple tutorials are also being included, giving overviews on running your park and contructing roller coaster.
While the original Rollercoaster Tycoon had a ride editor, RC Tycoon 2 will ship with a complete scenario editor, so you can build complete parks and missions with victory conditions, etc. In addition to the larger maps, you can build at much higher elevations this time around, both with rides and terrain. The park editor has a large palette of tools to play with -- you can build parks in a variety of themes (Roman, Egyptian, etc), place trees and plants, deform terrain, and much more.
You'll have to get some experience with the editor before you start producing Six Flags-quality parks (our first attempts came out pretty sorry-looking), but it looks like there's enough functionality to satisfy those who simply have to build their own dream park. All the rides in the Six Flags parks are available to use throughout the game, so if you want to create your own mega-park with only the best rides, you can do so.
Graphics were never the strongest suit of Rollercoaster Tycoon, and while RCT2's graphics aren't going to make anyone forget about Warcraft 3, they have been improved. The game can now match whatever resolution you're running your PC at (it was capped in RCT1), and the game sports faster graphics and smoother animations. In fact, a few of the coasters in RCT2 contain more animations than the entire original game.
Rollercoaster Tycoon was a huge success, and the sequel appears focused on providing the same basic gameplay while making everything bigger and better. The Six Flags parks seem like a great addition, and the scenario editor could extend the game's life for years to come. Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 is currently in beta and should be released this October.
spagmoid
Account Suspended
I loved RCT in the beginning, but after a while I got really tired of it. RCT 2 could be awesome, but from the screen shots it just looks like more of the same. I hope it evolves more than this.
It needs some game logic. It's fun as a toy, not as a game, because the game aspects and goals are weak.
A 3d mode would be cool too.
It needs some game logic. It's fun as a toy, not as a game, because the game aspects and goals are weak.
A 3d mode would be cool too.
I'll agree with you. Being a computer science major, as you are a computer programmer, I can see where you are coming from. If you did not love the first one, you probably won't get much appreciation from the sequel. Of course, I loved RCT in the beginning as well, and after a while I also got tired of it. That doesn't mean I'm not going to give RCT 2 a try. My reason for getting bored was because I ran out of new stuff to put in my parks. It was becoming repetitive...merry-go-round, roto-drop, log flume, a few rollercoasters, another merry-go-round. With the new game, I'm hoping that Chris has added enough new rides to keep the repetitive thing from happening. Everyone gets tired of a game sooner or later, as I did. Of course, you could have gotten tired of RCT for a totally different reason.
Right now the game is in BETA, which means there is a 99% chance that the graphics are not going to improve anymore than they have now. Keep in mind though that screenshots and videos cannot truely show you what the game really looks like when you are playing it. My suggestion to you...if they release a demo, I would definetly try it out to give RCT 2 a chance. If you don't like it, then I wouldn't waist the money buying it.