Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 03:26:25 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Search:     Advanced search
we're back, baby
*
Home Help Search Login Register
f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  Gaming  |  But is it Fun?  |  Topic: Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 - Frontier Developments - PC 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Pages: [1] Go Down Print
Author Topic: Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 - Frontier Developments - PC  (Read 10498 times)
Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19212

sentient yeast infection


WWW
on: June 11, 2009, 03:32:43 PM

3rd in my ongoing "I have no DSL so let's dust off the pile of single player games and see what's worth keeping" BiiF series is Roller Coaster Tycoon 3.  I've had a run of really bad luck with sim/building games lately (Spore, City Life, and Civ 4 all looked promising and all disappointed me), so I was starting to wonder if I'd just gotted tired of the genre entirely.  Turns out, no.  Roller Coaster Tycoon is pretty damn fun.

The title of the game gives you a good idea of what sort of game it's going to be.  You build an amusement park and try to make money with it.  And for what this game is, it's implemented REALLY well.  Your success or failure is determined by a horde of simulated parkgoers' ("Peeps") reactions to the stuff in your park, and you can measure it by looking at high-level stats on how much money each ride is making, or follow one Peep around on his visit to see what he does, or lots of levels in between.  You can tweak and tune pretty much everything, from the layout of each roller coaster to the color of balloons sold in the gift shop, but the game doesn't force you to do so to succeed; almost anything you plop down with its prebuilt defaults will start turning you some sort of profit.

I'd felt some trepidation about the roller coaster editor because I tend to suck at 3D modelling, but I was pleasantly surprised on that front.  Although the interface does have a few rough edges, the basic flow makes enough sense; rather than dragging a wireframe around like I was expecting, you just lay down track sections in a line like you were building a model railroad.  If you get bored and want to finish it up, there's an "Autocomplete" button that automatically connects the end of your track back to your beginning in a straightforward manner.  You can also paint the track, customize the cars, have triggered animatronics at certain points, all kinds of stuff.

All in all, it's not what I'd call a AAA title (the graphics aren't omgshiny and I suspect once you've built a few big whizbang coasters the novelty wears off), but it's a pretty satisfying little game, and one I'm likely to return to now and then.  If you like sim stuff it's definitely worth grabbing the next time Steam has it on sale.

Rating: Buy it.

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
schild
Administrator
Posts: 60345


WWW
Reply #1 on: June 11, 2009, 07:05:29 PM

You BiiF'd Rollercoaster Tycoon and didn't Protip any fun facts.

I feel let down.
Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19212

sentient yeast infection


WWW
Reply #2 on: June 11, 2009, 10:25:13 PM

Honestly, I kinda wanted to say more stuff, but didn't want to gush on past four paragraphs.

Here's a protip: if you notice your Peeps getting clogged up in one part of your park and you want to get them to the opposite end where your new rides are, build a Transport ride.  They seem to be just as profitable as the pricier rides for what you spend on them, and they will move vast numbers of people from point A to point B, after which point they'll wander around point B and spend lots of money on whatever is around there.  It seems like you could do the same thing with normal rides by having long paths separating the entrances from the exits.  If your park is a circuit, the rides are like voltage sources.

Another: build balloon stalls at different points in your park and give them different colored balloons.  The different colored balloons act like dye markers showing you where your Peeps have been as they move through your park's bloodstream.  Not necessarily useful, but really cool.

Another: spend the couple hundred bucks it takes to give each of your employees training.  It bumps their motivation way the hell up (permanently as far as I can tell) and you don't even have to raise their salary, so it's a one-time hit.

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
schild
Administrator
Posts: 60345


WWW
Reply #3 on: June 11, 2009, 10:36:37 PM

That's not what I meant.
Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19212

sentient yeast infection


WWW
Reply #4 on: June 11, 2009, 10:39:27 PM

I've just had a lot of beer.  You might have to spell things out for me.

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
schild
Administrator
Posts: 60345


WWW
Reply #5 on: June 11, 2009, 10:43:33 PM

You know what, ignore me. I've gone crazy.
dusematic
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2250

Diablo 3's Number One Fan


Reply #6 on: June 12, 2009, 06:26:02 AM

ridiculous.
Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19212

sentient yeast infection


WWW
Reply #7 on: June 12, 2009, 10:51:55 AM

I was just going to post how disappointed I was that duse hadn't called me ignorant for liking this game more than Civ.   DRILLING AND MANLINESS

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
Paelos
Contributor
Posts: 27075

Error 404: Title not found.


Reply #8 on: June 12, 2009, 10:57:58 AM

Someone grab a rope!  awesome, for real

CPA, CFO, Sports Fan, Game when I have the time
Yegolev
Moderator
Posts: 24440

2/10 WOULD NOT INGEST


WWW
Reply #9 on: June 12, 2009, 10:58:12 AM

Yes, because the two games are very comparable. swamp poop

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
dusematic
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2250

Diablo 3's Number One Fan


Reply #10 on: June 12, 2009, 09:25:30 PM

I was just going to post how disappointed I was that duse hadn't called me ignorant for liking this game more than Civ.   DRILLING AND MANLINESS


It was just so obvious that you'd swallow this game's gravy from the minute I saw the thread.  Look, at the end of the day, I like your style.  But you're better than this.  Feel free to piss on that olive branch btw. 
Sjofn
Terracotta Army
Posts: 8286

Truckasaurus Hands


Reply #11 on: June 12, 2009, 10:14:23 PM

Yeeeeah, you can't really put this game and Civ in the same little box.

DISCLAIMER: I like both. <3

God Save the Horn Players
Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19212

sentient yeast infection


WWW
Reply #12 on: June 13, 2009, 11:15:50 AM

I was just going to post how disappointed I was that duse hadn't called me ignorant for liking this game more than Civ.   DRILLING AND MANLINESS

It was just so obvious that you'd swallow this game's gravy from the minute I saw the thread.  Look, at the end of the day, I like your style.  But you're better than this.  Feel free to piss on that olive branch btw.  

Better than what?  Playing a few games for a few hours each and taking a few paragraphs to summarize how much fun I had with each?  That's the way these reviews work.  If you're angry that I didn't spend enough time on a game, or enough pages deconstructing why it was fun/unfun, you should probably avoid the whole BiiF forum, because these things aren't supposed to be knob-slobbering 5-page PC Gamer reviews, they're supposed to be quick and honest takes on what you thought of a game and why you're either still playing it or have uninstalled it.  And if you're just angry that I didn't like your favorite game, well, pretend I'm a professional, send me some money, and I'll give it a more "professional" review just for you.

 Oh ho ho ho. Reallllly?

(edit) Also, please to put future bitching about how unappreciative I am of Civ in the Civ thread.  RCT doesn't deserve to be shitted up.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2009, 11:18:50 AM by Samwise »

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
dusematic
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2250

Diablo 3's Number One Fan


Reply #13 on: June 13, 2009, 11:42:08 AM

My problem is really with the BiiF idea in general.  It's basically free reign to write a shitty, uninformed, hackneyed review.  If someone tries to call the review into question?  "Hey man, my hands are tied, this is BiiF, get with the program."  The reviewer doesn't feel obliged to provide reasons for why he dislikes the game, and the reader can't criticize the review because in the curious world of BiiF nobody is expected to support what they've written.  So ultimately, what's the point?  You end up with shitty, worthless reviews that don't help anyone to decide anything unless they happen to be familiar with the reviewer personally to know that their gaming predilections align very similarly with their own. And you end up with zero discussion, save the lonely chirps of assent, because any dissent is met with a quick "DUDE! Real the rulebook, this is BiiF!"

I'm just saying.
bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817

No lie.


Reply #14 on: June 13, 2009, 11:43:37 AM

Fortunately, we all know each other's personalities.

Especially yours.
Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19212

sentient yeast infection


WWW
Reply #15 on: June 13, 2009, 12:07:57 PM

The reviewer doesn't feel obliged to provide reasons for why he dislikes the game

If you want me to expound further on all the things in Civ that annoyed me, you should ask.  In that thread.  The review itself is supposed to be under 4 paragraphs, but the thread has no such rules.

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
NiX
Wiki Admin
Posts: 7770

Locomotive Pandamonium


Reply #16 on: June 15, 2009, 03:09:59 PM

I've always considered BiiF to be less of a review and more of a personal thing that just determines if it's complete shit or worth a look. Reviews typically break it down and look at the game from top to bottom.

I'm saddened you didn't grace my BiiF with your presence, Duse.
Yegolev
Moderator
Posts: 24440

2/10 WOULD NOT INGEST


WWW
Reply #17 on: June 16, 2009, 08:21:57 AM

My problem is really with the BiiF idea in general.  It's basically free reign to write a shitty, uninformed, hackneyed review.  If someone tries to call the review into question?  "Hey man, my hands are tied, this is BiiF, get with the program."  The reviewer doesn't feel obliged to provide reasons for why he dislikes the game, and the reader can't criticize the review because in the curious world of BiiF nobody is expected to support what they've written.  So ultimately, what's the point?  You end up with shitty, worthless reviews that don't help anyone to decide anything unless they happen to be familiar with the reviewer personally to know that their gaming predilections align very similarly with their own. And you end up with zero discussion, save the lonely chirps of assent, because any dissent is met with a quick "DUDE! Real the rulebook, this is BiiF!"

I'm just saying.

You seem like the kind of guy who would be more comfortable reading Gamespot.  You don't understand the point of the BiiF technique, fine, but realize that it's never going to be what you want.  Your wording frames a BiiF as a review, and if so then it is indeed shitty because it lacks the pertinent bits of a traditional game review.  However, if you realize that an orange is not, in fact, an apple then you might come to either appreciate both on their own merits, or stop walking up to the orange store and complaining that their so-called apples are all wrong.

In short, get with the program or stop being a troll.

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
schild
Administrator
Posts: 60345


WWW
Reply #18 on: June 16, 2009, 11:07:51 AM

Dusematic, stop being a dick.

Seriously.
Hoax
Terracotta Army
Posts: 8110

l33t kiddie


Reply #19 on: June 16, 2009, 02:56:12 PM

Fucking duse.  Also learn to get the point, games need to be fun without patches, mods, reading 3 websites that aren't even official or being forced to only play under certain perfect circumstances.

If they aren't they fail at biif, which is why biif is useful.  I don't get paid to play a game I pay to own it so expecting me to go find the fun is rediculous.  That is the lesson of this format and I think it is a good one.

A nation consists of its laws. A nation does not consist of its situation at a given time. If an individual's morals are situational, then that individual is without morals. If a nation's laws are situational, that nation has no laws, and soon isn't a nation.
-William Gibson
Ingmar
Terracotta Army
Posts: 19280

Auto Assault Affectionado


Reply #20 on: June 16, 2009, 03:14:16 PM

My problem is really with the BiiF idea in general.  It's basically free reign to write a shitty, uninformed, hackneyed review.  If someone tries to call the review into question?  "Hey man, my hands are tied, this is BiiF, get with the program."  The reviewer doesn't feel obliged to provide reasons for why he dislikes the game, and the reader can't criticize the review because in the curious world of BiiF nobody is expected to support what they've written.  So ultimately, what's the point?  You end up with shitty, worthless reviews that don't help anyone to decide anything unless they happen to be familiar with the reviewer personally to know that their gaming predilections align very similarly with their own. And you end up with zero discussion, save the lonely chirps of assent, because any dissent is met with a quick "DUDE! Real the rulebook, this is BiiF!"

I'm just saying.

You're wrong about dissent, though. The problem is your brand of dissent has generally been "You're stupid for not getting/liking this, and also these reviews are stupid." There are multiple examples in the forum of people actually having discussions that don't devolve into what you're saying here.

If you kept it to actual discussion of the game rather than, you know, being a douche, you might actually find someone willing to have a conversation with you about it. But instead you went right out of the gate with ad hominems, etc.

The Transcendent One: AH... THE ROGUE CONSTRUCT.
Nordom: Sense of closure: imminent.
dusematic
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2250

Diablo 3's Number One Fan


Reply #21 on: June 17, 2009, 02:05:01 PM

The Civ 4 BiiF was retarded.  Plenty of people agreed with me (read: nearly everyone that's played the game for more than 5 minutes).  Also, BiiF's are retarded in general.  I've explained why I think these thoughts.  Others obviously agree with me.  Yes, I am a dick.  Nothing new to see here.  Now fuck off.
NiX
Wiki Admin
Posts: 7770

Locomotive Pandamonium


Reply #22 on: June 17, 2009, 05:29:40 PM

I think the point being made is that it's obvious you don't like the format, so you should be the one fucking off instead of pissing all over something you obviously don't like in the first place.
dusematic
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2250

Diablo 3's Number One Fan


Reply #23 on: June 17, 2009, 06:40:34 PM

It's only obvious now.  A few days ago before I made all of these illustrious points, none of you cornholes were the wiser.  Soon, something else will raise my ire, and I'll begin to criticize that.  Then, I suspect you'll criticize me for criticizing it.  Then I'll tell you to fuck right off and the circle of life will continue on until the heat death of the universe.  You're welcome.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2009, 06:43:19 PM by dusematic »
VainEldritch
Terracotta Army
Posts: 204


Reply #24 on: June 23, 2009, 10:08:12 AM

I just wish Braben and Frontier would get of their asses and finish start Elite 4. Lazy stool breathers.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Pages: [1] Go Up Print 
f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  Gaming  |  But is it Fun?  |  Topic: Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 - Frontier Developments - PC  
Jump to:  

Powered by SMF 1.1.10 | SMF © 2006-2009, Simple Machines LLC