Railroad Tycoon 3

Rating:
Summary: Boring!
Review: I bought this game thinking that this would be better than its DOS counterpart (Transport Tycoon)! I made a terrible mistake! This game is so boring... too rigid...(esp. rules like haul 2 loads of cotton to Miami and Memphis etc) and I would not even think of gifting it to someone! I would rather think about getting this game if I get the entire purchase amount as moneyback! Not worth a penny!

Rating:
Summary: Didn't like as much a RT2
Review: I had a hard time with this game, after playing RT2 to death, which I loved....couldn't easily grasp the differences and frankly didn't have the time anymore to learn the nuances....I've moved on to Sid Meir's (original creator of RT) Civilization III.

Rating:
Summary: Great game, but not a simulation.
Review: I have enjoyed playing this game for what it is worth, but it doesn't fullfill my sim needs. It is still a very enjoyable game but is definitely targeted to a broader audience, including children. There are a lot of very unrealistic things that happen while playing, such as trains going through each other and becoming invisible at stations (this is in the second RRtycoon as well) and trains moving WAY too fast, even if the game speed is lowered. It's pretty funny to watch a train going over 100mph go over a mountain in a couple seconds and somehow still be on the track.
As far as the business part of it, it's definitely a simulation. Anything from using the stock market to running your opponent bankrupt will soothe the burn of the outdated graphics and whacked out physics if you are into business sims.

I still recommend this game because of its very high replay value and the fact that it is just fun.

Rating:
Summary: Fun but not as indepth as I would have liked
Review: I prefer more complex games that keep my attention for long periods of time.

The game is entertaining and runs smoothly on my computer. I have yet to have a problem with bugs.

Here are problems that I have with the game:

1) Can't specify hauling multiple loads.. can only be one commodity so if I'm hauling things to my factory which requires more than one input commodity.. it takes a few runs.

2) The AI of the competition is awful. They jam up the tracks with a ton of their own trains so that you have to disconnect from their track and lay your own with your own stations just so get your trains through.

3) There needs to be more overview information. I don't like playing a game where I have to keep paper nearby to make a list of where the demand is headed. The game requires a bit of guesswork as well.. I wish it would tell you what cargo will be given first priority when it comes to loading your train. This is probably my biggest complaint.

4) Overly simplistic business aspect. A little more depth would have added a lot.

Overall the game is entertaining and I played it a couple of weeks before I became bored with it. I would recommend someone to buy it.. but perhaps not pay full price.

Rating:
Summary: Fun but not as indepth as I would have liked
Review: I prefer more complex games that keep my attention for long periods of time.

The game is entertaining and runs smoothly on my computer. I have yet to have a problem with bugs.

Here are problems that I have with the game:

1) Can't specify hauling multiple loads.. can only be one commodity so if I'm hauling things to my factory which requires more than one input commodity.. it takes a few runs.

2) The AI of the competition is awful. They jam up the tracks with a ton of their own trains so that you have to disconnect from their track and lay your own with your own stations just so get your trains through.

3) There needs to be more overview information. I don't like playing a game where I have to keep paper nearby to make a list of where the demand is headed. The game requires a bit of guesswork as well.. I wish it would tell you what cargo will be given first priority when it comes to loading your train. This is probably my biggest complaint.

4) Overly simplistic business aspect. A little more depth would have added a lot.

Overall the game is entertaining and I played it a couple of weeks before I became bored with it. I would recommend someone to buy it.. but perhaps not pay full price.

Rating:
Summary: Strictly a business sim
Review: I've been a big fan of the Roller Coaster Tycoon games, in which the gameplay is centered on the fun of developing an amusement park and getting to see the rides in action, with the business-oriented "goals" for each scenario being kind of an afterthought. If you failed to meet the goals in time, it was still fun to design the park itself.
This was my first Railroad Tycoon game, so perhaps this was just my misconception to expect the same idea. I imagined it would be like designing one of those miniature model train sets in your basement, and getting to watch the trains travel through minature towns, through mountains, over bridges, etc. Frustratingly, the game has almost nothing to do with this; it is barely a model train simulation, but rather, it is almost strictly a business simulation. The gameplay focusses heavily on raising funds via issuing stocks, or bonds; investing in stocks, determining which goods to have your trains pick up in which amounts at which stations, checking and rechecking investment portfolios and ledgers with profits minus expenses, etc. There is very little room for imagination in track design (why pay more than the shortest track between any two points?). The lanscapes are a little bleak and monotonous. Again, picture the opposite gameplay of Sid Meyer's Golf Sim, where the business aspect of the game takes a back seat to the fun of designing your own course, watching sim players play on it, and even being able to test out the course yourself. Here, I felt more like I was taking a required tutorial CD for Econ 101.

Rating:
Summary: Railroad Tycoon II was a hard act to follow
Review: Most reviewers agree on one thing: Railroad Tycoon II is a great game, a true classic, that has provided endless hours of enjoyment.

A game that great creates some pretty high standards, and results in high expectations when its sequel is released. That is exactly what has happened here. Every difference between RT2 & RT3 seems to be a source of disappointment for somebody, and now we see some pretty harsh reviews of RT3 by people who wish that the developers had left RT2 totally intact.

This seems a bit unfair to me. If there had never been a predecessor to Railroad Tycoon 3, how would we judge the game based strictly on its own merits? I suspect we would consider RT3 to be one of the better games out there.

What is there to like about the game, judged on its own merits? I personally find the new 3D graphics to be very impressive, and the player interface is very easy to use. The camera feature, where the player can follow a particular train along its root, is a load of fun. For those of us who love trains, this is a great feature.

I have mixed feelings on the new economic model. On the one hand, the RT2 economic model was simple and easy to follow, but not exactly realistic. RT3 takes into account that there were other means of transportation besides the railroads. It also recognizes that passengers will not necessarily go wherever you insist on transporting them. The more complex economic model means that you exert less control on the economy than in RT2. Is this better or worse? That is a real toss-up.

Another toss-up would be the auto consists now featured in RT3. Some people miss the micromanagement, and some people who were driven crazy by the constant need in RT2 to micromanage are glad to see introduction of the auto consist. Personally, there were times when I really preferred not to micromanage every detail, but there were times that I enjoyed the control. One can choose to override the auto consist in RT3. I think the fact that one has a choice now is a definite improvement.

Another common complaint among reviewers is that the scenarios now have requirements to win a gold, silver or bronze medal. You don't just start playing, but instead the game shoehorns you into pursuing specific goals. I found this a little disconcerting, because I always thought that was what the campaign was for. However, if you don't like being forced to play a scenario a certain way, just ignore the scenario's goals and do what you want! Of course you will bomb out after the designated time period, but who cares? You can then continue to play the scenario as you please.

I do have a problem with the lack of maps and a smaller selection of locomotives. Like another reviewer complained, there is no North America map! That was one of the biggest disappointments for me. However, the developers have been creating new maps that can be downloaded (so far, the US Pacific Coast and Spain), and one hopes that they will continue to offer more maps that will further improve the game.

One hopes also that the developers will also offer improvements that will make the AI a little more competitive, because right now the AI leaves a lot to be desired. I would also hope that the stock market is improved.

Overall, I find that I enjoy playing RT3 for the most part, and that should be the question people ask, rather than "is it as good as RT2?" If I want to play RT2, I still have it downloaded onto the computer. I have that choice. It doesn't detract from the enjoyment that its successor brings, and that is enough to satisfy me.

Rating:
Summary: Doesn't have map of US!
Review: Nice graphics and sound. However, the game doesn't even include a map of the US! The stock market is the same cretin style stock market of the previous game (no matter how much money you have, you can't buy stock from other players). The last and most serious problem is track laying & station placement. There is no un-do. If you make an error (which is easy to do with the weird station placement algorithm), you have to endure a lengthy recreation of the map and reloading all the databases to restore the map. Most games end quickly in frustration.

Rating:
Summary: Best of the series and that's very good, indeed.
Review: Real rating would be 4 1/2 stars.

As a piece of software, RT3 is not perfect, but it is better than 90% of what's out there. It's rock-solid stable on my computer but there are those who have experienced a lot of problems, almost all related to issues with graphics cards. There are few bugs with the code and none that detract from my enjoyment of the game. PopTop's support for their products has been top notch in the past and RT3 is proving that again. New maps and code updates have already been provided and more are coming.

Now, as a game... is it fun? You bet! If you liked either of its predecessor's then I really think you'll enjoy this one. The 3D engine incorporated is the first thing you'll notice right away. Then as you start to play you're going to really start to see how different this game/simulation is from RT1 & 2. In fact, that has to be said as a warning: RT3 is NOT just RT2 with 3D graphics. If that's what you want, this isn't it. For me, that's not the bad news, it's a major part of the good news. RT3 now has a whole new economic model underneath it that literally makes the entire game new. The world's farms and factories won't sit idle waiting for your railroad to haul the goods for them. If you don't move them, the 'invisible' transportation network (overland and by water) will move them instead--oh, and don't bother trying to compete with the canal and river transport in most eras.

As others have said the micromanagement aspects of the game have been greatly reduced. Some may not like that but I do--I feel much more in the role of the tycoon controlling a financial empire with a railroad as its centerpiece. You can manage every train and every carload but you're better off letting the game do that and concentrating on the strategic business of figuring out which industrial segments to go after and which cities will benefit you most if you lay track to them. On the other hand, I often find myself simply taking the 3D camera right down to the locomotive and going along for the (often spectacular) ride.

Yes, there are things I would have done differently. And there are things I don't like (the way maint. facilities are handled was better in RT2) but on balance RT3 is an excellent product and worthy follow-up to RT1&2.

Pro:
-- Still the addictive builder-sim gameplay as always.
-- 3D engine is very good; great "ride along" views.
-- Economic model is much more realistic, particularly for the golden era timeframe (late 1800's thru about 1920).
-- Most of the micromanagement is gone.
-- Excellent editor lets you modify current maps and make new ones.
-- Excellent support by the vendor and an active fan base.

Con:
-- The computer players (AI) are poor to awful. Don't expect them to be any real competition. However, improvements are promised in an update.
-- Too few maps come with it. (Fans and vendor updates are fixing this, tho')
-- Track laying and map scale issues result in unrealistic track grades that detract from the appearance (but have little effect on gameplay).

Bottom line:
If you like the builder simulation kind of game, this one is likely to appeal to you. If you like trains or railroad history then I'm confident you'll find RT3 worth the purchase price and then some. PopTop has another winner here and with a few changes it may be a superstar in the genre.

Rating:
Summary: Good but Disappointing
Review: RT2 is one of my favorite games--it's one of only a handful of computer games that has been on my computer continuously since I first loaded it. A game I have always been able to get pleasure from. The wonderful music, the fabulous gameplay, the fun & detailed graphics--Railroad Tycoon 2 is everything a great computer game should be. When I found out that there would be yet another edition of Railroad Tycoon I was delighted. 3D graphics? Great! New gameplay options? Bring 'em on! And over & above my anticipation of a new Railroad Tycoon was a steadfast faith in the game's creators that the game would be everything it should be.

My first impression was very favorable. The first scenario in the campaign, in which you have to build track from Boston to Buffalo, begins with the camera showing the Atlantic Ocean washing ashore on the east coast of Massachusetts. The sound of the waves hitting the beach, the gentle wash of the ocean, the colorful leaves on the trees combined to create one of those gaming moments that you remember for a long time. In short, the sound & graphics are great & it's a joy to play a game in such an ambience. And, of course, the music is back just as enjoyable as it has always been.

New features include other modes of transportation (such as trucks, boats, & planes) competing with your rail line to deliver cargo. In RT2, nothing moved unless you or one of the AI companies moved it. In RT3, sometimes those cattle will get to the packing plant on their own. This feature has promise but it's hard to tell what effect it's having on the game since it's hard to see the immediate effects of this movement. You can also set AI to manage your consists for you--i.e. decide what types of cargo your trains will carry. You can, of course, still do that on your own--more on that below. You can also build tunnels & large suspension bridges although those things are hugely expensive.

As you may have suspected there's a "but" coming in this review. That "but" is the gameplay, which I feel is inferior to the gameplay in RT2. My biggest enjoyment in RT2 comes from searching out profitable routes to build--finding places where cattle can be brought to a packing plant or grain brought to a bakery or even longer cargo chains (i.e. chemicals to a fertilizer plant, fertilizer to a grain field, grain to a cattle ranch, cattle to a packing plant, food to a city). Creating & managing these routes is, in my opinion, the most enjoyable part of the game. This is one reason why RT2 was so superior to Tropico, a game from the same company that uses the same engine. When you run out of cash in RT2, you can spend all your time managing cargo & connections while in Tropico when you run out of money you can do nothing but sit & look. In RT3, despite the wonderful graphics, the structures are almost impossible to pick out of the surrounding terrain. The icons are small & many of them are very similar. Likwise, the icons representing the freight cars are often completely indistinguishable from each other. Is that brown freight car filled with clothing or toys? You can't tell unless you mouseover it which is darned annoying & makes managing your trains needlessly difficult. In RT2 I would build stuff till I was out of money & then sit & play with the trains until I could spend more cash. In RT3, I find myself turning on the auto-consist manager & spending my time planning where to build track. This is more fun than many computer games, but it's a *lot* less fun than the previous edition of the game.

Another issue is the stability of the game. RT2 was a rock, but RT3 has already crashed to the desktop three times in the short time I've been playing it. Extremely annoying when you've spent a half an hour building an intricate set of track only to lose it to a crash. The game also sometimes gets stuttery after I create a save game.

My verdict? I'll give it a few more days & try to tease some fun out of the game. And if I change my mind I'll certainly post a changed opinion. But right now, the likelihood is that I'll be back playing RT2 very soon.