|
SPECIAL
NEWS FEATURES
This page contain special news articles
that we have archived seperatly from the main news
archive. You will also find all the RT2 Press Releases on
this page.
News
Articles
The first piece of news reported by
Express World:
The Railroad Tycoon II Interview
OGR Talks to Phil
Steinmeyer, President of PopTop Software, and designer of
Railroad Tycoon II about the upcoming game.
by Chris Jenson
Chris Jensen: The news that there was such
an entity as Railroad Tycoon II came as quite a shock.
Phil Steinmeyer: (laughs) We've kept a
pretty tight lip. Actually, it wasn't Railroad Tycoon II
until very, very recently. It was called Iron Horse up
until last week when we secured the license. We've been
working on the game since January 1997. Getting the
license worked out very well, as Iron Horse was being
designed as the spiritual sequel to Railroad Tycoon.
CJ: It was also a surprise to find that
PopTop Software is making a sequel and not Microprose...
PS: Well, we have no association with
Microprose except that we obtained the name from them.
All it took was a phone call and Microprose was willing
to sell us the name.
CJ: How far along is the title?
PS: It's pretty far along. We've been
working on it for a year and four months so we're pretty
close to the Alpha stage. Most of the major features and
screens are in place. The AI is still a bit weak and the
multiplayer component isn't in place yet...there's a few
things here and there. I'm a firm believer in spending a
large amount of time in balancing a game. It's not going
to be one of these, "Well, we threw in the last
screen last week and the testers haven't found any bugs
since noon, so let's ship it."
CJ: You say the title is a spiritual
cousin to Railroad Tycoon...where are you taking the
sequel?
PS: It's beyond a spiritual cousin, really.
I'd say it's more like a spiritual successor.
Graphically, it's far beyond the original. I think it
will be one of the sharpest looking strategy games yet.
In terms of gameplay and content we've added some
expected features like multiplay and the AI will be very
challenging.
CJ: How many people will be allowed to
play Railroad Tycoon II over the Internet?
PS: We're shooting for 32 people.
CJ: -expletive- 32 people!
PS: (laughs) There's a chance that number
could come down to 16.
CJ: Even 16 is 12 more than I'd think.
PS: It's the nature of the game. When you
have an action game you need instantaneous response and
you're constantly keying in input for the game...the game
is always receiving new orders. In our Railroad game
you're not issuing that many orders...I mean, the orders
you're issuing can be pretty concise; re-route the train
from Boston to Philadelphia or lay a piece of track from
Point A to Point B. It's a little 20 byte instruction if
you package it correctly. The other factor is, it's not
the end of the world if you don't lay that track in a
second and a half. It's not a situation where your
commander is going to get killed unless he gets out of
the way.
CJ: Will the multiplayer component be turn-based
or real-time?
PS: Real-time. Railroad Tycoon was one of
the first 'real-time' strategy games, for lack of a
better term. This game will follow in that tradition. The
game kind of splits into two sides, the operational side
which is where you lay your track, running your trains
and building your empire. On that level we're very close
to the original was. We allow the player more and less
control than Railroad Tycoon...our ability to automate
certain tasks now has greatly improved. On the other
hand, for the player that really wants operational
control we have some new features that weren't in the
original. The other aspect of the game is the whole
financial end of it. It's very much a robber baron game
where you're trying to crush each other in the stock-market.
We didn't feel the financial area of Railroad Tycoon was
very strong and we fleshed that out considerably more. I
think it's more realistic and offers more flexibility for
the player. Players could, if they wanted, just play the
game from the financial end and allocate a company
manager to take care of the actual railroad business.
CJ: Tell me a little about the approach to
graphics in this title.
PS: We're using our own proprietary 3D
engine. You'll get a combination of 3D rendering for the
terrain and 2D sprites for the trains, trees and
buildings. It's all scalable in 6 levels of zoom. At the
farthest zoom you can see the entire map on the screen at
once. Our trains will also change in appearance as the
decades tick by.
CJ: Will the industry model for the game
be similar to the original?
PS: Yes...with some enhancements, of
course. The problem with the original model was that it
could be difficult to figure out the best place to
transport this and that. We allow, at the beginner level,
players to ship anything anywhere. At a higher level of
sophistication we get into an industry model where if you
have a load of steal, you're going to need to find a
buyer, say an auto-plant, and then ship the auto's to
major cities or ports.
CJ: Will track laying be performed
differently from the original?
PS: We've overhauled that process. It's
all drag-and-drop now. Click on the Lay Track button and
then a panel at the bottom opens with several options;
single-track, double-track, and even the option to drop
electrical track as well. Then just click on a part of a
map, drag, and it will show the best route. It will also
display the cost of the track and what the grades will be
like.
CJ: Can you expand on some of the
multiplayer elements involved?
PS: It will be pretty straight-forward...each
player out for themselves. Players will be allowed to run
their trains on an opponents tracks, but the owner can
exact a fee for that use. Say you make a shipment that
involves your train riding an opponents track for half
the distanced, that player would pay half the track-use
fee. A form of alliance can be instigated by the owner of
the track lowering the required fee for individual
opponents.
CJ: What's it like for you to suddenly
find yourself working on a sequel to one of the greatest
games of all time?
PS: Well, Sid Meier is an idol to me. His
whole trio, especially, Pirates, Railroad Tycoon, and
Civilization...I had been a gamer before those titles but
those in particular pushed me over the edge. We had a
great game in Iron Horse, but now that we can call it
Railroad Tycoon II, obviously, people will be paying much
more attention to us. It's a crowded marketplace out
there, very challenging to get your name heard. I always
viewed the acquisition of the Railroad Tycoon name as a
way to do that. In some ways, it allows me to do more
Railroad Tycoonish things. At first, before the license,
I found myself running away from certain concepts just to
avoid comparison. This allows me to do quite the reverse,
now.
CJ: Thanks for your time, Phil.
PREVIEW OF RAILROAD TYCOON 2
Written By James Stevens
Railroad Tycoon was originally released in
1990 for the Amiga & the Apple Macintosh. Railroad
tycoon was the second game by Microprose/Sid Mier. The
first game by Sid Meir was Pirates, then he made Railroad
Tycoon . Railroad Tycoon was the game that inspired him
to make the most successful game of all time,
Civilization 1 & 2. Railroad Tycoon was voted best
game of 1990 and received many awards. The game was very
popular then and has now become a classic.
Because of Railroad Tycoon ‘s success
Microprose started work on a sequel the was going to be
Railroad Tycoon 2 but Sid Mier did not like that name so
the game was re-named Railroad Tycoon Deluxe. It was
updated with improved graphics, new trains & maps.
Although not directly written by Sid Mier the game was
also a big hit.
But now 5 years later the graphics are
very dated and the game will not work on many of todays
faster computers.
In early 1997 Poptop software started
production on a game about trains and industry in the 19th
and 20th centuries. Poptop thought that the game was like
the spiritual sequel to Railroad Tycoon 2, but the game
was not called Railroad Tycoon 2. Poptop was developing
the game under the working title of Iron Horse, but when
they came to copyrighting the name they had found that it
was already taken. After this they tried to think of some
names for the game ,but no one could come up with any
names that would fit with the game. During the
discussions about a name for the game Phil Steinmeyer had
the idea of Railroad Tycoon 2. But the idea was
originally was just a joke between the developers and
they decided to contact Microprose about buying the
Railroad Tycoon name. They did not expect anything to
happen, but just one phone call to Microprose and they
were willing to sell the name. When Poptop announced the
game in April 1998 there was a buzz of excitement in the
computer gaming world and nearly every big Games website
ran some kind of article on the game. Two days later fan
websites started to open.
Railroad Tycoon 2's graphics have been
radically improved from the original. The game will offer
Zoomable maps, 3D rotation and 16 or 8 bit colour without
using a 3D accelerator at all.
Railroad Tycoon 2 is one of the first game
ever to be made only in 1024x768 resolution. The business
engine in the game has also been updated. You will be
able to buy other companies, arrange mergers, sell up
your old company and start a new one. Another major
feature in the game is a map editor so people can create
there own maps to play on, player will be able to export
there maps and share them with their friends. Railroad
Tycoon 2 also features lots of maps of the world
including the UK , North & South America , Europe,
Asia , Australia & Parts of Africa.
Other features of Railroad Tycoon 2 are:
59 different train engines from around the
world.
The game will allow multi-player options.
32 people will be able to play over a LAN network and 16
people can play over the internet.
Scenarios allow for world-wide exploration
and expansion.
Scenarios & Campaigns will allow
players to use ready made games and maps.
Railroad Tycoon 2 puts players in control
of 39 different cargo types from around the world.
Railroad Tycoon 2 is currently under going
internal testing and an estimated 92% of the programming
is complete (source: Poptop software). When the game
arrives in November it will destroy many people social
lives because of the complexity of the game. Anyway here
are the current system requirements for the game.
Pentium -133 or better
16 MB RAM
4xCD ROM or better
Windows 95 or 98
Graphics card capable of 1024x768 with 8
or 16bit colour
100 MB of hard drive space
Mouse & Keyboard
Windows compatible sound card
Optional Extras:
Modem/Network/Serial cable for multiplayer
games.
For all the latest news on Railroad Tycoon
2 go and visit the Railroad Express
Website
Mini Interview November 7th 1998
1. What are the changes made since the
demo?
Must wait till later. Not much, but later.
2. What about the multiplay servers? (sth
like battle-net)
It looks like we will be on HEAT. I'm not very familiar
with them so, It'll be an exploration for me too.
3. What are you (PopTop) going to do next?
(an expansion pack/sth different)
We still can't say for sure. We don't have a bucket of
financing and generally speaking we've got all our eggs
in one basket. We've got our eye on doing an expansion
pack but we REALLY don't know what we'll do for sure till
we know what kind of response we'll get from the final
game.
Rt2 Advert
The November 1998 American Pcgamer
contains an advert for Railroad Tycoon II. Here is an
extract (source: Bil Simser, IronHighway)
'It can take you from New York to
South Africa. It can take you from the year 1804 to
the year 2000. It can take you from penniless manual
laborer [sic, if you're in Europe] to powerful
multimillionaire. It can take you from a normal, well-adjusted,
well-rounded person to an obsessed, single-minded,
one-track train head.'
'If you want to hop on a plane, car or
ship, hop on another game. This is a real railroad
game, not just a strategy game that happens to
involve railroads. Everything is authentic, from the
period video and pictures interlaced within the game
to the design and interface. A.I. opponents are based
on real people. And all maps are real (based on
satellite photography from the U.S. Geological Survey
and other sources).'
TWO NEW PREVIEWS (11/10/98)
PopTop Software and Gathering of
Developers are still predicting an early November release
for the strategy game Railroad Tycoon II.
Hoping to whet the appetites of gamers for the sequel to
Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon, however, GOD and PopTop are
releasing some of the game specifics: Railroad Tycoon
will feature 34 types of cargo and 59 train engines from
around the world and let players work in up to 30
industries, ranging from coal to steel to textiles.
Jesse James will be conducting train robberies in the
game; other locomotive mishaps range from traffic jams to
blowups. The game also features a simulated stock market,
which will affect conditions during the game. Railroad
Tycoon II players will be able to compete against
historical tycoons such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and
German leader Otto Von Bismark, chosen from the game's
character library of more than 35 historical figures.
The action of Railroad Tycoon II begins in 1829.
Historical events such as the Franco-Prussian War, the
eruption of Mt. Krakatoa, and the American Civil War will
find their way into the game, which features an 18-scenario
campaign - Whistle Stops and Promises (Northwest US circa
1902), When the Walls Come Down (Eastern Europe and
Russia circa 1990), and Excess on the Orient Express (Paris
to Istanbul circa 1850) are among those campaigns. Twelve
stand-alone adventures will be solo or multi-playable,
and the game will feature a scenario editor, which
gamers can use to import maps from satellite photos or
create their own.
The game's single-player demo was released in September;
it boasts two fully playable scenarios, The Golden Age (Northeastern
US circa 1870) and Cape to Cairo (Africa circa 1895).
Now here is the other preview. Poptop are really
promating Rt2 at the moment giving preview copies to
everyone. Here is what http://www.pcfan.com said:
Gathering of Developers’ and
PopTop Software's Railroad Tycoon II is right on
track for its early November release and will deliver
a boxcar load of game features. Rich with historic
scenarios, a sophisticated stock market, and a
multitude of maps, Railroad Tycoon II, a strategy
simulation game for the PC, is the long-awaited
sequel to the original Sid Meier classic, Railroad
Tycoon.
Railroad Tycoon II places gamers in a
world of big business, expansionism and engineering
in which all aspects of the railroad industry can be
controlled. PopTop Software has improved upon the
original game with cutting-edge technology and an
outstanding features list. The game will have 34
types of cargo and 59 train engines from around the
world for building and expanding empires in over 30
different industries, such as coal, steel and
textiles. Train robberies starring the infamous Jesse
James have now been added, along with locomotive
mishaps ranging from traffic jams to blow-ups,
forcing businesspeople to carefully choose their
routes while maintaining tracks and stations. The
story of Railroad Tycoon II begins in 1829. Players
encounter numerous historical events like the Franco-Prussian
War, the eruption of Mt. Krakatoa, and the American
Civil War. Railroad Tycoon II will feature an 18
scenario campaign, including scenarios such as
Whistle Stops and Promises (Northwest US circa 1902),
When the Walls Come Down (Eastern Europe and Russia
circa 1990), and Excess on the Orient Express (Paris
to Istanbul circa 1850). Railroad Tycoon II will also
have 12 stand alone scenarios that can be played solo
or multiplayer, and a scenario editor that allows
gamers to import maps from satellite photos or create
their own.
Railroad Tycoon II’s designers
incorporated a sophisticated economic system and a
simulated stock market that allows money moguls to
test their entrepreneurial prowess. Gamers must pay
attention to the market and rising financial
opportunities that could set the stage for an
economic sweep. Players can increase their fortunes
by issuing bonds, selling stocks or purchasing other
companies’ stocks. Through the acquisition of
competitor's stock, gamers can oust opposing chairmen
from their posts and institute an economic takeover.
Furthermore, new companies and railroads can be
started through personal cash and investment. With
more railroads, increased assets and heightened
power, the player will become the ultimate railroad
tycoon.
Players can take on real railroad
tycoons from the character library. Railroad Tycoon
II has over 35 famous capitalists, expansionists and
leaders to challenge the player. From the
accomplished German leader Otto Von Bismark to the
shrewd American capitalist Cornelius Vanderbilt,
gamers will need to outsmart and outmaneuver these
historical statesmen and financiers to gain their own
famed position.
Railroad Tycoon II is based upon Pop Top’s proprietary S3D engine, which allows
for highly detailed 3D graphics and rendering. The
title is the first game developed exclusively for
1024 x 768 resolution in either 16-bit or 8-bit color.
The engine, powering 300,000 polygons displayed on
the screen at once, generates real-world
environments, terrain and a competitive arena. The
game will support multiplayer play over LANs, modem,
and the Internet.
Salvege from station-x: (former RT2 website, closed late
1998)
1.Can you change the speed of the game so
that time elapses quicker or
slower?
Yes. 1-10 speed settings. At
ten it's difficult to click on your express trains.
2.Does the game comprise a lot of full
motion video clips or does it focus
mainly on the game play side of things?
There are video clips but they only add
flavor to the action and never dominate
your screen or stop play.
3.Was there a lot of historical research
done into the trains and buildings
in the city and their time period? Also was there much
research into the
working of stocks and shares in the game to make it more
realistic?
Trains. There was a lot of research on locomotives
and it is still continuing.
The challenge has been to balance statistical accuracy,
game play and historical
popularity. We are not just using locomotives from
the US. Currently, we
are trying to incorporate locomotives from Britain,
Germany, Switzerland, Austria,
Australia, South Africa, France, US, Japan and China.
REMEMBER, this is what we
are working to include and not all are in yet.
Plus, our own wish list has many
more countries!
Buildings. Buildings are for the
most part generic representations of a resource but
still have historical reference, i.e. you will not see
nuclear power plants in 1804.
The train stations on the other hand do have period
flare, Todd worked very hard
on that. Also, cities are built based on the
likelihood of population density and
industry appearance and will fluctuate over time and
influenced by economic
changes. Therefore, if you play a game on the same
map you may or may not
get the same resources in a particular area but it will
be based on that cities
tendencies.
Stocks. The workings behind the stock market
are in principle based on market
models. The AI behind them is not in and it would
be premature for me to say
how they play out. Remember this is based on past
performance and performance
can vary, you could lose some or all your money so only
invest risk capital! <grin>
4.Was the game engine built entirely from
scratch or did you license it from
someone?
Phil made the whole thing with his own
perfect brain.
5.How many people are currently working on
the development of Railroad
Tycoon II?
Six amazingly talented individuals all
dedicated to the principals of freedom,
democracy and cafinenated beverages.
6.Will engines be limited to a consist of
just 8 cars as in the original?
I'm afraid we can only allow 6 cars in a
consist. Now, wait a minute Lucy,
let me 'splain. Because we are a graphical
representation in a limited space
(even though it can be HUGE) more cars than that and your
trains would
always stretch from one city to the next and rarely
actually move. We
are working hard to make this feel appropriate to play.
I was not real
keen on this when we started but it actually plays well
with routing
and cargo availability's and quickly forgot after I
started to play.
7.I notice in the screen shots of the UK
that the companies or players have
little icons next to the names. Are these fully editable
or is there a
certain selection of icons to chose from?
Right now it is a set you can select from.
It is one of the things we want
to change. Magic Eight Ball says "definitely,
ask again later!"
8.Can you build a headquarters as in
transport tycoon and customize your
character by gender and appearance?
RT2 is a railroad game so an HQ randomly
placed on a huge map seemed
pointless, but it was considered. You do have an
office within the game
setting to see all that information and that information
is quite detailed.
Player character portraits are selectable
but their appearance is not
adjustable. Also RT2's characters have statistics
that can effect play,
unlike TT. We also have NPC type characters that
you can hire as
your manager who can effect play i.e. lower your
maintenance cost or
decrease your loading time (or increase!).
9.What do you do to finish the game? Do
you have to knockout all the
competition or reach a certain time or money limit?
It depends on the scenario, campaign or
player configuration. You may
have to connect some cities or move X tonnage etc.
these kinds of things
can all be linked together too. So yes, you CAN
have time limits,
free-for-alls, freight wars and the like.
10. Do the train prices of older trains
decrease when time goes on and new
trains become available?
Yes and No. Basically, truly
obsolete locomotives would actually cost
more to construct than some newer ones. Also, in
some areas the maintenance
and fuel cost could be incredibly prohibitive.
Example, steam is still used
in China because labor costs are low and coal is abundant.
So locomotive
prices are area dependent and time sensitive in some
cases. It's actually
very linked to parameters of the game you are playing.
The final editor
will be quite powerful and I'm personally hopping to see
some cool maps
from players in the future.
Supertrain Interviews
A person called supertrain keeps on doing
great interviews with poptop, so I have compiled them all
and put them on one page. Enjoy. Also thnks Supertrain!
INTERVIEW 1:
1. Will traincarriages change over the
time? I mean will a "Rocket" have the same
carriages as a TGV?
There will be some changes, not as much as we'd like but
they do change.
2. Can you build shops and hotels in your stations?
Yes, hotels, resturants, post office etc.
3. Can you change ticketprices and are there special
sales? I mean commuter-tickets, vacantie-tickets and Fly-Rail
combination tickets.
No. There are no facilities to warrant such actions. It's
actually more of a strategy game than the original, but
it has the contorls to play in a variety of ways.
4. How about trainferries? Than I can get trains from
France-England. Because there are no tunnels.
Sorry, but that's still a no. We realize we're going to
take a hit for not having tunnels. Particularly when you
start playing the game because it looks good and you kind
of naturally expect them. In all honesty, when you start
playing you pretty much forget about them because you're
plenty busy. The absence of tunnels is a simple causalty
of the development process. Not enough time to do it
right. Bad tunnels are worse than no tunnels, please
trust me on that! ;)
5.Can I make my own screenshots?
Yes. Pressing the Print Screen key will put a 24bit PCX
file of the current screen in the RT2 root directory.
6. Will their also be technical information on the trains.
I mean weight, speed and axledivision.
No. There is not enough room in the display. We will have
pertinent in-game data though. We are looking into
putting some of the train detail in the manual.
INTERVIEW 2:
1. What languages are used in the game?
We will be in at least English, French and German. No
final word but there is talk of Italian, Spanish and
Portuguese.
2. How many sorts of stations are included
in the game? What sorts of station?
3 size types, small, medium and large. Styles are
Colonial, Mission Revival, Tudor, Victorian and Byzantine.
3. How far is the game at this moment ready? Rough
percentage, about 90% with the general construction.
Still needs work on multiplayer, maps, campaigns and
scenarios.
4. You said (or Phil or Frank) there will
be express and commutertrains. What more sorts of trains
are inserted. Double Decktrains or (what you call in the
US) double-stack freight-trains?
It is not so much that the TRAIN will be in, but rather
such types of consists can be created. As for the car
types like the double-stacks, no. There are general
flatbed, box, passenger, mail, tanker, hoppers and
livestock.
5. Can you say what more locomotives will
be included in the game besides the ones showed on the PopTop-page?
I'm working on finalizing that list. I'll post the whole
thing when I've seen the ones so far listed in the game.
There will be some last minute changes and the Maglev's
are not in yet.
6. The signalling? Is there anything
changed in that?
The final word on that is, no signals. To everyone that
is saddened by this we say sorry, please try it our way
before you kill us!
7. Will a trainset get both ends. Like two
motorcars for a TGV at each end?
No, we have to be a strictly one end only sim. We are
trying to create a game that while you must suspend
disbelief for a while we try not to make it too difficult.
Double enders where a trade off.
8. Can I get in a train an extra motorcar
(or locomotive)? Like for an F3series an B-unit behind an
A-unit. Double-headed. No, this is the only one like it
in the game. We felt it added a bit of variety without
overloading our system.... Todd and Dave are wearing
their fingers to the bone trying to finish the
locomotives ;)
9. Is their an intro before the gamemenu
appears? What is that intro like?
You'll have to wait till its out. ;)
10. What is the first locomotive in the
game? The Trevithick locomotive or "The Rocket"
or an other one.
The Trevithick, 1804. Rocket was out in 1829. hanks to
Supertrain for this interview... And thanks to the
Terminal for reporting it first. :
INTERVIEW 3
What music is in the game? I mean Jazz,
House (do you know that is), classic or pop(top)music.
Blue Grass and some Jazz.
2. Can I build 4 tracks beside eachother (2 times 2
tracks) so I can make a headcorridor?
Track laying can be anything you want. The trains path
may vary depending on traffic density. I've done it
several times, but most of the time it isn't necessary...
most of the time. You also have to lay the track in
smaller increments when you do that as the game wants to
link longer sections together.
3. How many trains will be in the game by now 51, 52 or
59? And how many in the expansion (if there will be an
expansion and if you know it already)?
The creation of an expansion pack has not been decided.
Until play testing is concluded, the final number and
type of locomotives will vary. Right now we have about 63.
4. What currency coins will you have in game? The Euro,
the new European coin also?
I'm not sure what you mean when you say coins. We have a
small graphic coin to represent the value of a cargo load.
As for the currency basics, we are using US dollars...
it's what we know. I'm not sure but localization may
change it to the appropriate currency type. The money,
while an important part, is more of an abstraction anyway.
The values are all balanced, so it could be Tulip Bulbs
and still function properly.
5. Is their a tutorial in the game?
The first part of the campaign is a tutorial. We don't
have a tutorial only scenario, personally I prefer to
learn games by "accident." This is a controlled
"accident ;)
6. Can I get extra money if I held a special world
record? The fastest train, longest trip, highest bridge,
most luxureus train, biggest station or transported most
goods in a year?
Well, I haven't created such an event, but you can look
for one, you never know. The real answer is that there
isn't anything hard coded into the game for that one
feature. The event editor can allow it to be created.
INTERVIEW 4:
. How many in-zoom levels are in the game?
I believe it is 5. Funny how when you're so close
to a thing you forget the little things.
2. Will Take-2 interactive also "sell"
the game outside Great-Brittain in main Europe?
Yes.
3. Is labor-costs also inserted in the game?
Labor cost as far as track & engine
maintenance, yes.
4. Are there any subsidies in the game from local
authorities?
Yes, at times.
5. Are there any new Reviews-Interviews from
magazines?
Actually, I've been having a difficult time tracking that
stuff. None that I know of.
6. What is the most important good you transport
in the game?They are all important. It's a value
judgement and situationally based.
7. What can I see more in a station-view?
There are several in station shots on the screens page...
just realized this letter was before that update.... ugh,
I hate it when this happens.
Press
Releases
This page contains all
the press releases for Railroad Tycoon II, they are in
decending chronological order, starting with the most recent:
There
are now two press relases for Rt2 on the MAC (from
godgames website), here they are
Offical
Godgames press release for Mac Railroad Tycoon II:
Railroad
Tycoon II
Ride the
tracks of history and strategy in Railroad Tycoon II, the
sequel to Sid Meier's acclaimed simulation game, Railroad
Tycoon. Developed by PopTop Software, Railroad Tycoon II
puts players in control of more than 34 cargo and 51
train engines from around the world. Players can span the
ages from 1804 to beyond 2000 while establishing
transportation empires and outmaneuvering fellow robber
barons. Scenarios allow for worldwide exploration and
expansion. A sophisticated economy and stock market for
Wall Street plunderers lets players test their
entrepreneurial prowess. The Philadelphia Inquirer hails
Railroad Tycoon II as "the non-combat strategy game
of the year" and Billboard Magazine calls it a
"wonderfully detailed economic simulation." The
game will support multiplayer play over LANs, modems and
the Internet. Railroad Tycoon II will be available in
early 1999.
Availability
All
games will be available at all major software retail
outlets and mass merchandisers nationwide and can be
ordered from The Gathering via the company's Web site (www.godgames.com)
or by calling 1-877-god-games.
Founded
in Dallas, TX in December 1997, Gathering of Developers
is a developer-driven computer and video game publishing
company. The company's mission is to be the worldwide
leader in the development and delivery of commercially
successful computer game software designed for a range of
platforms. The company's pioneering partners are industry
leaders and proven hit makers 3D Realms, Epic MegaGames,
PopTop Software, Ritual Entertainment, Terminal Reality
Inc and Edge of Reality. For more information visit
Gathering of Developers Web site at http://www.godgames.com.
Railroad
Tycoon II Speeds Towards the Macintosh
Gathering
of Developers to Publish PopTop's Railroad Tycoon II for
the Mac
Dallas,
TX, January 4, 1999 -- Gathering of Developers, a
developer-driven computer and video game publishing
company, today announced that the company will publish
and distribute a Macintosh version of PopTop Software's
Railroad Tycoon II, the celebrated PC sequel to the
original Sid Meier classic, Railroad Tycoon. Originally
developed by PopTop Software, the Macintosh version will
be co-developed with the Mac specialists at Westlake
Interactive. The game will be available in spring 1999.
Railroad
Tycoon II is a historically accurate, strategy simulation
game. Featuring 30 scenarios, a realistic stock market
and economy system, and maps from around the world, the
game allows players to build railroad, industry and
financial empires.
"We've
received an amazing response to the PC version of
Railroad Tycoon II and expect the reaction to be the same
with the Mac game," said Harry Miller, president of
The Gathering.
The
response to Railroad Tycoon II has been nothing short of
remarkable. USA Today says, "Railroad Tycoon II is
right on track to be one of the best strategy simulations
of 1998—four out of four stars," and the
Chicago Tribune says, "Railroad Tycoon II is one
game well worth hopping aboard." Computer Games
Strategy Plus notes that "Railroad Tycoon II manages
brilliantly to capture not only the elements that made
its predecessor fun, but also the unique and compelling
atmosphere of the era of the robber barons," and
awards the game 4.5 out of 5 stars. CMP's online magazine
GamePower states, "The praise is obviously gushing
for this title. Railroad Tycoon II is a superb addition
to any serious strategy gamer's library"
Storyline
Railroad
Tycoon II begins in 1829 and places gamers in a world of
big business, expansionism and engineering in which all
aspects of the railroad industry can be controlled. Train
robberies starring the infamous Jesse James along with
locomotive mishaps ranging from traffic-jams to blow-ups,
force
Gathering
of Developers Announces Railroad Tycoon II for the Mac
business people to carefully choose their routes while
maintaining tracks and stations. Railroad Tycoon II's
designers incorporated a sophisticated economic system
and a simulated stock market that allows money moguls to
test their entrepreneurial prowess. Gamers must pay
attention to the market and rising financial
opportunities that could set the stage for an economic
sweep. Players can increase their fortunes by issuing
bonds, selling stocks or purchasing other companies'
stocks. Through the acquisition of competitor's stock,
gamers can oust opposing chairmen from their posts and
institute an economic takeover. Furthermore, new
companies and railroads can be started through personal
cash and investment. With more railroads, increased
assets and heightened power, the player can become the
ultimate railroad tycoon.
Features
59 train
engines from around the world and 34 types of cargo to
build empires and dominate more than 30 different
industries. an 18 scenario campaign, including scenarios
such as Whistle Stops and Promises (Northwest US circa
1902), When the Walls Come Down (Eastern Europe and
Russia circa 1990), and Excess on the Orient Express (Paris
to Istanbul circa 1850). a sophisticated economic system
and a simulated stock market where players can issue
bonds, sell stocks or purchase other companies stock for
a corporate takeover. the ability to play through
historic events such as the Franco-Prussian War, the
eruption of Mt. Krakatoa, and the American Civil War as
tycoons span the ages from 1829 to the millennium. 12
stand alone scenarios that can be played solo or
multiplayer, and a scenario editor that allows gamers to
import maps from satellite photos or create their own. a
character library with more than 35 famous capitalists,
expansionists and leaders from the accomplished German
leader Otto Von Bismark to the shrewd American capitalist
Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Railroad
Tycoon II is based upon PopTop's proprietary S3D engine,
which allows for highly detailed 3D graphics and
rendering. The title is the first game developed
exclusively for 1024 x 768 resolution in either 16-bit or
8-bit color. The engine, powering 300,000 polygons
displayed on the screen at once, generates real-world
environments, terrain and a competitive arena. The game
will support multiplayer play over LANs, modem, and the
Internet.
System
Requirements
Railroad
Tycoon II requires a Power Macintosh, Mac OS 7.5.3 or
higher, 130 MB free hard disk space, 16 MB RAM (32 MB
recommended) 4x CD-ROM, 1024x768 capable video, and a 28.8
kbps Macintosh compatible modem for Internet play.
Gathering
of Developers Announces Railroad Tycoon II for the Mac
Based in Fenton, MO, computer game developer PopTop
Software was founded in 1993 by programmer and game
designer Phil Steinmeyer. After working with New World
Computing on three titles from 1993 through 1996, PopTop
began developing its current game, Railroad Tycoon II, in
1997. Railroad Tycoon II has received rave reviews from
the press and the gaming industry, and appears on track
to be a best seller worldwide. http://www.poptop.com
Founded
in Dallas, TX in December 1997, Gathering of Developers
is a developer-driven computer and video game publishing
company. The company's mission is to be the worldwide
leader in the development and delivery of commercially
successful computer game software designed for a range of
platforms. The company's pioneering partners are industry
leaders and proven hit makers 3D Realms, Epic MegaGames,
PopTop Software, Ritual Entertainment, Terminal Reality
Inc and Edge of Reality. For more information visit
Gathering of Developers Web site at http://www.godgames.com.
Rt2 is
on track for its Uk & Usa release dates. Here is
Godsgames press release
I just
thought I'd tell you that we've gone gold with RT2. I was
given permission to mention this today. We actually went
gold on Sunday. So it should be in US stores in the first
week of November. England has also gotten their
duplication copy and as far as Take 2 has said they
expect to be in stores then as well. Some German and
French localization is still occurring but that is
supposed to be wrapped up by the end of the week. Thanks
Franz
NEW
PRESSRELEASE FROM GOD GAME WEBSITE 10/10/98
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gathering
of Developers and PopTop Software
Reveal a Boxcar Load of Features for Railroad Tycoon II
Highly Anticipated 3D Strategy Simulation Game to Feature
30 Maps from Around the World, Multiplayer Play and 30
Scenarios Dallas, TX, October 7, 1998 -- Gathering of
Developers’ and PopTop Software's Railroad Tycoon II
is right on track for its early November release and will
deliver a boxcar load of game features. Rich with
historic scenarios, a sophisticated stock market, and a
multitude of maps, Railroad Tycoon II, a strategy
simulation game for the PC, is the long-awaited sequel to
the original Sid Meier classic, Railroad Tycoon.
Railroad
Tycoon II places gamers in a world of big business,
expansionism and engineering in which all aspects of the
railroad industry can be controlled. PopTop Software has
improved upon the original game with cutting-edge
technology and an outstanding features list. The game
will have 34 types of cargo and 59 train engines from
around the world for building and expanding empires in
over 30 different industries, such as coal, steel and
textiles. Train robberies starring the infamous Jesse
James have now been added, along with locomotive mishaps
ranging from traffic jams to blow-ups, forcing
businesspeople to carefully choose their routes while
maintaining tracks and stations.
"Railroad
Tycoon II was developed with every type of gamer in mind...from
train enthusiasts to hardcore strategy sim players to the
gamer that just wants to play with trains," said
Phil Steinmeyer, CEO of PopTop Software and lead designer
of Railroad Tycoon II. "We have stayed true to Sid
Meier’s incredibly addictive original game, while at
the same time, adding cool elements like train robberies,
crashes, an event editor and a realistic stock market."
The
story of Railroad Tycoon II begins in 1829. Players
encounter numerous historical events like the Franco-Prussian
War, the eruption of Mt. Krakatoa, and the American Civil
War. Railroad Tycoon II will feature an 18 scenario
campaign, including scenarios such as Whistle Stops and
Promises (Northwest US circa 1902), When the Walls Come
Down (Eastern Europe and Russia circa 1990), and Excess
on the Orient Express (Paris to Istanbul circa 1850).
Railroad Tycoon II will also have 12 stand alone
scenarios that can be played solo or multiplayer, and a
scenario editor that allows gamers to import maps from
satellite photos or create their own.
Railroad
Tycoon II’s designers incorporated a sophisticated
economic system and a simulated stock market that allows
money moguls to test their entrepreneurial prowess.
Gamers must pay attention to the market and rising
financial opportunities that could set the stage for an
economic sweep. Players can increase their fortunes by
issuing bonds, selling stocks or purchasing other
companies’ stocks. Through the acquisition of
competitor's stock, gamers can oust opposing chairmen
from their posts and institute an economic takeover.
Furthermore, new companies and railroads can be started
through personal cash and investment. With more
railroads, increased assets and heightened power, the
player will become the ultimate railroad tycoon.
In
September, The Gathering released the Railroad Tycoon II
demo at http://www.godgames.com. Tens of
thousands of enthusiastic gamers downloaded the single
player demo featuring two fully playable scenarios, The
Golden Age (Northeastern U.S. circa 1870) and Cape to
Cairo (Africa circa 1895). The demo offered access to all
features of the game and contained a preview version of
the map editor.
"Railroad
Tycoon II has already caused a major commotion in the
industry and will be a blockbuster title for this holiday
season," said Mike Wilson, CEO of The Gathering.
"PopTop's talented crew of six has delivered a
fantastic sequel that has been a long time coming for
fans worldwide."
Players
can take on real railroad tycoons from the character
library. Railroad Tycoon II has over 35 famous
capitalists, expansionists and leaders to challenge the
player. From the accomplished German leader Otto Von
Bismark to the shrewd American capitalist Cornelius
Vanderbilt, gamers will need to outsmart and outmaneuver
these historical statesmen and financiers to gain their
own famed position.
Railroad
Tycoon II is based upon PopTop’s proprietary S3D
engine, which allows for highly detailed 3D graphics and
rendering. The title is the first game developed
exclusively for 1024 x 768 resolution in either 16-bit or
8-bit color. The engine, powering 300,000 polygons
displayed on the screen at once, generates real-world
environments, terrain and a competitive arena. The game
will support multiplayer play over LANs, modem, and the
Internet.
Based in
Fenton, MO, computer game developer PopTop Software was
founded in 1993 by programmer and game designer Phil Steinmeyer. PopTop’s initial game, Iron Cross,
debuted in 1994 and was one of the first real-time
strategy games. The company’s second game, Heroes of
Might and Magic, which was co-developed with New World
Computing, was released in 1995 and won strategy game of
the year from Computer Gaming World, Strategy Plus and
Computer Game Review. Heroes of Might and Magic 2, also
co-developed with New World, was released in 1996 to
industry accolades and has sold over 300,000 units in
North America alone. For more information, visit PopTop’s
Web site at http://www.poptop.com.
Founded
in Dallas, TX in December 1997, Gathering of Developers
is a developer-driven computer and video game publishing
company. The company’s mission is to be the
worldwide leader in the development and delivery of
commercially successful computer and video game software
designed for a range of platforms. The company's
pioneering partners are industry leaders and proven hit
makers 3D Realms, Epic MegaGames, PopTop Software, Ritual
Entertainment, Terminal Reality Inc and Edge of Reality.
For more information visit Gathering of Developers Web
site at http://www.godgames.com.
History
Of Development Press Relese
Following
Heroes 2's completion and a little time off, I started on
the project that would become Railroad Tycoon II in late
December 1996. Originally entitled Iron Horse, the
project was and is a labor of love for me in addition to
hopefully being a profitable business project.
The
concept for a new railroad game was worked out between
Jon and I in December 1996, with the plan that 3DO would
publish the game. However, in January 1997, 3DO ran
into financial trouble, slashed about half its employees
and stopped all outside development. So the project
was begun as a truly independent project. I got
office space, hired 2 artists, and even put a nice sign
on the door. At last, PopTop was a true bona-fide
company.
I was a
huge fan of the original Railroad Tycoon, which was
developed in 1990 by Sid Meier. As a side note, I
don't think any single designer in the business has ever
had a more productive and creative stretch than Sid had
from 1988 to 1991, which saw him develop 3 ground-breaking
games (Pirates, Railroad Tycoon, and Civilization) that
pretty much invented modern strategy gaming on the PC.
I was
always surprised that no one had followed up on Railroad
Tycoon (unlike Civilization, which spawned a whole genre
of Civ clone games.) With a clean slate after
Heroes 2 and a desire to do something different, it
seemed like a natural project to do. I was
definitely worried for the first 6 months or so of the
project that I'd discover somebody else (possibly Sid
Meier himself) doing another railroad game that would
beat us to market. However, with less than 6 months
til release, it doesn't appear that anyone else is doing
anything like this.
Despite
some outside advice to do the game top-down 2D style,
like the original game, I went with a isomorphic 3D
engine, using true 3D for the ground and sprites for
buildings, trains etc. This has resulted in a game
which looks pretty, and allows you to see grade changes,
mountains, valleys, etc, quite clearly. We went
with 2D sprites to allow a large number of objects on the
screen at once, with considerable detail. In some
scenes its quite possible to have tens of thousands of
polygons, hundreds of trees, and dozens of buildings,
cars and other objects, yet the speed is still solid.
In
January 1998, PopTop lined up a very cool new business
deal to ensure that this and future games will be
published in high style. PopTop is one of the
founding members of Gathering of Developers. Check the
link for full details. It's not your father's
publisher.
In
February 1998, we were told by the trademark attourneys
that our working title, "Iron Horse", was
unavailable. Unfortunately, there's only a modest
number of ways to construct names that convey railroads
and the train era that sound cool and don't infringe on
some old board game. We came up with a variety of
lame substitutes, but weren't really happy with any of
them. On a lark, I decided to call MicroProse, to
see if it would be possible to acquire the name from them.
Surprisingly enough, they were amenable to
discussions, and after a protracted negotation (which
delayed our announcement of the title), we finally
completed the acquisition of the trademarks and
copyrights to Railroad Tycoon.
We're on
track for a fall '98 release. The engine to the
game is in good shape, the art is moving along very well,
and things look good overall. Still have to do
networking (ugh), and improve the AI, which is still
quite rudimentary, but I think we'll have plenty of time
to balance and test the game, and we'll probably even
have time for an outside beta (don't send mail on this
yet, though, wait for a formal announcement).
POPTOP
SOFTWERE'S FIRST OFFICAL PRESS RELESE FOR RRT2
Gathering
of Developers Announces Railroad Tycoon II from PopTop
Revolutionary
Publisher to Release Stunning Sequel in Late 1998
Dallas,
TX, April 22, 1998 -- Gathering of Developers, a
developer-driven computer and video game publisher, today
announced that the company will publish and distribute
Railroad Tycoon II, developed by PopTop Software.
Railroad Tycoon II, a strategy simulation game, will be
available at retail for the PC in late 1998. PopTop, a
founding partner of The Gathering, recently acquired the
Railroad Tycoon license and name from Microprose Inc.,
who published the first Railroad title in 1990.
"PopTop's
Railroad Tycoon II is a great game for our 'opening
lineup' this fall," said Mike Wilson, CEO of
Gathering of Developers. "Railroad Tycoon II is a
fantastic game featuring a strong property. The potential
for the title is immense, as it will more than satisfy
the hardcore strategy gamer market, and still have mass
appeal for the considerable number of railroad
enthusiasts out there."
"The
original Railroad Tycoon in large part created the modern
strategy game market, and was the first game that
completely and utterly addicted me," said Phil
Steinmeyer, CEO of PopTop. "It's an incredible
privilege to be able to fuse this phenomenal franchise
with our cutting-edge technology and game design."
The
sequel to the legendary Railroad Tycoon, Railroad Tycoon
II, puts gamers in control of 34 cargo types and 51 train
engines from around the world. Players can span the ages
from 1804 to beyond 2000 while establishing
transportation empires and outmaneuvering fellow robber
barons. Scenarios allow for world-wide exploration and
expansion. A sophisticated economy and stock market for
Wall Street plunderers lets players test their
entrepreneurial prowess.
Railroad
Tycoon II is based upon PopTop's proprietary S3D engine
which allows for highly-detailed 3D graphics and
renderings. The game is the first game developed
exclusively for 1024 x 768 resolution, in either 16 bit
or 8 bit color. The game will support multiplayer play
over LANs, modems and the Internet.
Based in
Fenton, MO, computer game developer PopTop Software was
founded in 1993 by programmer and game designer Phil
Steinmeyer. PopTop's initial game, Iron Cross, debuted in
1994 and was one of the first real-time strategy games.
The company's second game, Heroes of Might and Magic,
which was co-developed with New World Computing, was
released in 1995 and won strategy game of the year from
Computer Gaming World, Strategy Plus and Computer Game
Review. Heroes of Might and Magic 2, also co-developed
with New World, was released in 1996 to industry
accolades and has sold over 300,000 units in North
America alone.
Founded
in Dallas, TX in December 1997, Gathering of Developers
is a developer-driven computer and video game publishing
company. The company's mission is to be the worldwide
leader in the development and delivery of commercially
successful computer game software designed for a range of
platforms. The company's pioneering partners are industry
leaders and proven hit makers 3D Realms, Edge of Reality,
Epic MegaGames, PopTop Software, Ritual Entertainment and
Terminal Reality Inc. For more information visit
Gathering of Developers Web site at http://www.godgames.com.
|
