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Railroad Tycoon (RRT) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Compiled and Edited by David Mitton
Rev 1 Draft 9-Feb-1994
Scope & Disclaimer:
Not a complete treatis on RRT or RTD. Just an overview and pointers.
Also not a subsitute for purchased docs for pirates. Keystrokes are
documented in the Technical Supplement. Strategy discussions can be
endless. Included are basics and net contributions. Buy one of the
books.
Contents:
- Top 10 Questions
- What is RRT and RRT Deluxe?
- Microprose information
- Game Limitations (README.DOC)
- Known Bugs
- Version info
- Hints and Strategy books
- "The Computer Cheats!"
- Mastering the Modes and Levels
- Strategies
- Basic
- Grand
- Robber Baron
- Rate Wars
- Little known details
- Getting the most out of the displays
(How to I find that?)
- Map Differences
- Deluxe Differences
- Acknowledgements
Top 10 Questions
- How do I double track?
Read the Tech Supplement
- Why only 32 stations?
Design limit
- How can I build track/stations like the computer?
You cannot
- What is the cheat?
Read the x? (F1,$)
- What about the GP-30?
Didn't make the cut
- How come my city/industry are now working?
a) Basic Economy, b)not guaranteed
- What are slums?
Undocumented "feature"
- Why do things go wrong over $32M?
16bit signed int bug, no fix
1) What is RRT and RRT Deluxe?
Railroad Tycoon (RRT) and Railroad Tycoon Deluxe (RTD) are exciting
strategy games of empire building, operation, and market manipulation. It
is a commercial product of MicroProse Software and is availible for
MS-DOS on an IBM PC or Apple Macintosh.
The game is authored primarily by Sid Meier, who went on to write
Civilization. Bruce Shelly also helped and is known for his previous
contribution to Avalon Hill's 1830 railroad board game. The game borrows
elements of 1830 and combines them with elements of the PC Empire wargame
to provide a strategy game that can consume hours of play.
RRT pits a single player against 3 simulated players. You are given some
initial money and must build a successful railroad corporation. You
spend your money building the track and stations. Then you buy and
schedule trains that earn money by collecting cargos at resource centers
and delivering them to stations with matching demands. A changing
economic cycle and a growing population over time, keep things from
becoming static. The financial side of RRT, allows you to raise money by
selling bonds and investing in the stock of your company and your
competitors. If you can manage to gain greater than 50% of your
competitor's stock you can also operate their railroad and take their
profits. You can also manipulate your competitor's stock values to their
detriment. At the end of 100 years you are rated on your financial
accomplishments.
RRT was released in 1990. RTD was released in 1993. Railroad Tycoon
Deluxe plays basically the same as RRT, but has greatly enhanced graphics
and additional scenarios. Most discussions are geared to the original
game and applies to both. The differences are discussed at the end.
Game Materials:
Manual, Technical Supplement, Distribution diskettes, Economic
charts
The game is copy protected by a challenge to identify a locomotive by
sight. The locomotives are pictured and described in the Manual. A
frequent player or railfan can memorize this. The less initated can make
a cheatsheet by noting the wheel arrangements also given and explained in
the manual. Failure to pass the challenge results in only being able to
play with 2 trains.
2) Microprose information
MicroProse Software, 180 Lakefront Drive, Hunt Valley, MD 21030
Customer Service: 410-771-1151
MPS*BBS: 410-785-1841 (8,N,1) 8 lines, upto 14400 baud
CompuServe: Forum GamePublishersB, ID: 76004,2223
Internet: "76004,2223@Compuserve.com"
AOL,Delphi,Fidonet,GEnie,MCI Mail, PC-Link,Prodigy,Promenade,Q-Link
3) Game Limitations
README.DOC - On the distribution diskette is a file with some last minute
changes and details on the limitations of the game as implemented.
Investment: Can own only ONE extra RR if Investor or Financier,
TWO if Mogul, All THREE if Tycoon.
Trains: 32 total, GP30 is not availible
Stations: 32 stations(depots,stations,terminals), 64 signal towers
Industry building: no forts or textile mills (or power plants in England)
(different in RDX)
4) Known Bugs
- $32,000 limit
- hangs
- hyperspace transfer
- Slums
- RDX initial bugs
5) Version info
RRT -
- RRT V03
- SLUMFI
RDX - shipped
- fixed
6) Hints and Strategy books
There are two published books on RRT:
"The Official Guide to Railroad Tycoon" by Russell Sipe
(C) 1991, Compute Books, Greensboro NC.
ISBN 0-87455-244-3 $12.95
"Railroad Tycoon, Master Strategies for Empire Builders"
Shay Addams, (C) 1991, Osborne McGraw-Hill, Berkley CA.
ISBN 0-07-881728-5 $14.95
7) "The Computer Cheats!"
A frequent whine from beginners is "how can I do x like the computer
players do?" And the answer is you cannot. The computer is playing a
different game than you. It has some advantages, but it also has many
limitiations.
+ multiple entrances to cities, amazing terrain conquring
- no switches or stubs, only builds to named cities, cannot round
corners, does not not build ferries
- number of cities
8) Mastering the Modes and Levels
Difficulty:
Investor
Financier
Mogul
Tycoon
Reality Levels:
Basic vs Complex Economies
In Basic mode, all stations pay for all cargos.
In Complex, stations pay only for industry and local demands.
No Collisions vs Dispatcher Operations
NC mode does not use the block signal system.
Dispatcher mode provides block signals which are automatic,
but can be overriden by the player. NC mode has no controls
and is totally automatic. Dispatcher is more interesting
and can provide more optimal control.
Friendly vs Cut-Throat Competition
In Friendly mode, your competitors will not attempt to take
over your RR, or start a Rate war with you.
Beginners should start with Investor level. I recommend that you
immediately start playing with Complex Economy and Dispatcher mode. The
lower modes are not interesting.
Starting out:
- Initial state, turn on Resource Display
- Learn how to use each display and report
Pointers:
F6 Train Income; watch maintenance cost, get to routing
Balance - Econ cycle
- Freeze the game when laying track or researching decisions
9) Strategies
- Beginning
Learning to play: use low dif, complex, Dispatcher, Friendly
use $ cheat if need be
- Basic
Start small, go for best revenue route, keep competitors honest
Buy stock early, aim to own 50% of self soon
Roll over Bonds on first Boom
- Grand
Mail & Pass vs full service
Priority load service
- Robber Baron
Bankrupting and stealling from competitors
- Rate Wars
How to wage successful rate wars
- timing
- Depot staging
- analyze the demand
10) Little known details
- Revenue calculations
- Tunnel exit critera
- Econ cycle table
11) Getting the most out of the displays (How to I find that?)
- Station displays (colored bars)
- Train display (F6)
12) Map Differences
- Eastern US
- Western US
E/W vs N/S differential & Transcontental Bonus
- England
- Europe
RDX
- North America
- South America
- Africa
13) RRT Deluxe Differences
VGA support
Graphic renderings, but not animated
Slow response in F4
New maps
New time ranges and locomotives
Bandits and Sheriffs
New initial bugs
14) Acknowledgements
Compiled and Edited by David Mitton
Rev 1 Draft 9-Feb-1994
Scope & Disclaimer:
Not a complete treatis on RRT or RTD. Just an overview and pointers.
Also not a subsitute for purchased docs for pirates. Keystrokes are
documented in the Technical Supplement. Strategy discussions can be
endless. Included are basics and net contributions. Buy one of the
books.
Contents:
- Top 10 Questions
- What is RRT and RRT Deluxe?
- Microprose information
- Game Limitations (README.DOC)
- Known Bugs
- Version info
- Hints and Strategy books
- "The Computer Cheats!"
- Mastering the Modes and Levels
- Strategies
- Basic
- Grand
- Robber Baron
- Rate Wars
- Little known details
- Getting the most out of the displays
(How to I find that?)
- Map Differences
- Deluxe Differences
- Acknowledgements
Top 10 Questions
- How do I double track?
Read the Tech Supplement
- Why only 32 stations?
Design limit
- How can I build track/stations like the computer?
You cannot
- What is the cheat?
Read the x? (F1,$)
- What about the GP-30?
Didn't make the cut
- How come my city/industry are now working?
a) Basic Economy, b)not guaranteed
- What are slums?
Undocumented "feature"
- Why do things go wrong over $32M?
16bit signed int bug, no fix
1) What is RRT and RRT Deluxe?
Railroad Tycoon (RRT) and Railroad Tycoon Deluxe (RTD) are exciting
strategy games of empire building, operation, and market manipulation. It
is a commercial product of MicroProse Software and is availible for
MS-DOS on an IBM PC or Apple Macintosh.
The game is authored primarily by Sid Meier, who went on to write
Civilization. Bruce Shelly also helped and is known for his previous
contribution to Avalon Hill's 1830 railroad board game. The game borrows
elements of 1830 and combines them with elements of the PC Empire wargame
to provide a strategy game that can consume hours of play.
RRT pits a single player against 3 simulated players. You are given some
initial money and must build a successful railroad corporation. You
spend your money building the track and stations. Then you buy and
schedule trains that earn money by collecting cargos at resource centers
and delivering them to stations with matching demands. A changing
economic cycle and a growing population over time, keep things from
becoming static. The financial side of RRT, allows you to raise money by
selling bonds and investing in the stock of your company and your
competitors. If you can manage to gain greater than 50% of your
competitor's stock you can also operate their railroad and take their
profits. You can also manipulate your competitor's stock values to their
detriment. At the end of 100 years you are rated on your financial
accomplishments.
RRT was released in 1990. RTD was released in 1993. Railroad Tycoon
Deluxe plays basically the same as RRT, but has greatly enhanced graphics
and additional scenarios. Most discussions are geared to the original
game and applies to both. The differences are discussed at the end.
Game Materials:
Manual, Technical Supplement, Distribution diskettes, Economic
charts
The game is copy protected by a challenge to identify a locomotive by
sight. The locomotives are pictured and described in the Manual. A
frequent player or railfan can memorize this. The less initated can make
a cheatsheet by noting the wheel arrangements also given and explained in
the manual. Failure to pass the challenge results in only being able to
play with 2 trains.
2) Microprose information
MicroProse Software, 180 Lakefront Drive, Hunt Valley, MD 21030
Customer Service: 410-771-1151
MPS*BBS: 410-785-1841 (8,N,1) 8 lines, upto 14400 baud
CompuServe: Forum GamePublishersB, ID: 76004,2223
Internet: "76004,2223@Compuserve.com"
AOL,Delphi,Fidonet,GEnie,MCI Mail, PC-Link,Prodigy,Promenade,Q-Link
3) Game Limitations
README.DOC - On the distribution diskette is a file with some last minute
changes and details on the limitations of the game as implemented.
Investment: Can own only ONE extra RR if Investor or Financier,
TWO if Mogul, All THREE if Tycoon.
Trains: 32 total, GP30 is not availible
Stations: 32 stations(depots,stations,terminals), 64 signal towers
Industry building: no forts or textile mills (or power plants in England)
(different in RDX)
4) Known Bugs
- $32,000 limit
- hangs
- hyperspace transfer
- Slums
- RDX initial bugs
5) Version info
RRT -
- RRT V03
- SLUMFI
RDX - shipped
- fixed
6) Hints and Strategy books
There are two published books on RRT:
"The Official Guide to Railroad Tycoon" by Russell Sipe
(C) 1991, Compute Books, Greensboro NC.
ISBN 0-87455-244-3 $12.95
"Railroad Tycoon, Master Strategies for Empire Builders"
Shay Addams, (C) 1991, Osborne McGraw-Hill, Berkley CA.
ISBN 0-07-881728-5 $14.95
7) "The Computer Cheats!"
A frequent whine from beginners is "how can I do x like the computer
players do?" And the answer is you cannot. The computer is playing a
different game than you. It has some advantages, but it also has many
limitiations.
+ multiple entrances to cities, amazing terrain conquring
- no switches or stubs, only builds to named cities, cannot round
corners, does not not build ferries
- number of cities
8) Mastering the Modes and Levels
Difficulty:
Investor
Financier
Mogul
Tycoon
Reality Levels:
Basic vs Complex Economies
In Basic mode, all stations pay for all cargos.
In Complex, stations pay only for industry and local demands.
No Collisions vs Dispatcher Operations
NC mode does not use the block signal system.
Dispatcher mode provides block signals which are automatic,
but can be overriden by the player. NC mode has no controls
and is totally automatic. Dispatcher is more interesting
and can provide more optimal control.
Friendly vs Cut-Throat Competition
In Friendly mode, your competitors will not attempt to take
over your RR, or start a Rate war with you.
Beginners should start with Investor level. I recommend that you
immediately start playing with Complex Economy and Dispatcher mode. The
lower modes are not interesting.
Starting out:
- Initial state, turn on Resource Display
- Learn how to use each display and report
Pointers:
F6 Train Income; watch maintenance cost, get to routing
Balance - Econ cycle
- Freeze the game when laying track or researching decisions
9) Strategies
- Beginning
Learning to play: use low dif, complex, Dispatcher, Friendly
use $ cheat if need be
- Basic
Start small, go for best revenue route, keep competitors honest
Buy stock early, aim to own 50% of self soon
Roll over Bonds on first Boom
- Grand
Mail & Pass vs full service
Priority load service
- Robber Baron
Bankrupting and stealling from competitors
- Rate Wars
How to wage successful rate wars
- timing
- Depot staging
- analyze the demand
10) Little known details
- Revenue calculations
- Tunnel exit critera
- Econ cycle table
11) Getting the most out of the displays (How to I find that?)
- Station displays (colored bars)
- Train display (F6)
12) Map Differences
- Eastern US
- Western US
E/W vs N/S differential & Transcontental Bonus
- England
- Europe
RDX
- North America
- South America
- Africa
13) RRT Deluxe Differences
VGA support
Graphic renderings, but not animated
Slow response in F4
New maps
New time ranges and locomotives
Bandits and Sheriffs
New initial bugs
14) Acknowledgements