Interview with Chris Swayer!
Tell us about ‘Rollercoaster Tycoon’
Rollercoaster Tycoon is primarily a construction game, with a few managerial and strategy elements. The primary enjoyment comes from designing and constructing the rollercoasters and other rides, then watching how guests interact with them. It's basically a bit like a toy construction set - something which people will want to play with, rather than play against.
Did you do all the research yourself, or did you consult ride engineers and coaster experts?
I did most of the research myself, using books, magazines, and other material I came across. I found this provided me with easily enough information and it also meant I could minimise the number of people who knew about the game during development.
So you must have to be a massive coaster enthusiast?
I didn't have much of a passion for rollercoasters when I started the project. I was more a fan of the engineering, the design, and the overall 'look' of them. In fact, I didn't even enjoy riding them. But while I was doing the research for ‘Rollercoaster Tycoon’, I began to enjoy the whole experience more and more, and the development of the game and my enthusiasm for roller coasters then fed off each other.
So how does Rollercoaster Tycoon begin?
There is an assortment of scenarios in ‘Rollercoaster Tycoon’. In some you start with an area of land, in others you can start with a small amusement park, or even a large park which needs improving or has problems which need solving. But each scenario starts with only a few types of rides available. Further types of rides, attractions and scenery become available only after spending money on research. Most scenarios do, however, have a very simple objective to achieve, such as having at least 1000 guests in the park by the end of the 3rd year of business, and the player has to figure out the best way to achieve this.
It all sounds very lifelike. Do you have to grapple with real-life problems like planning permission?
You won't come across problems with planning permission, as such, but in some of the more difficult scenarios the land available for purchase is very restricted. One scenario for example has a small park that desperately needs more space to expand, but the only area of land for sale is the other side of a road. Despite the road not being purchasable, the player can buy "construction rights" over and under the road, allowing the two areas of the park to be linked by bridges (or by rollercoasters or other rides). There's another scenario where the local authority won't allow any removal of trees, or any change to the lay of the land, giving a totally different challenge, as all rides and paths have to be carefully built through the gaps between the trees and using the landscape without changing it.
Any other problems we should expect to encounter throughout the game?
There are all the usual problems like litter, unhappy guests, over-long queues, and vandalism. Of course rides break down if they're badly maintained or getting old. While some types of breakdown are harmless and just cause inconvenience (the doors getting stuck on the monorail for instance) others can be seriously catastrophic.
What type of coasters can you build in ‘Rollercoaster Tycoon’ and where do they come from?
Before you can construct a new ride, it has to be 'researched'. As the manager, you specify the level of funding your research department is allowed, whether it should be restricted to just certain groups of rides like rollercoasters, thrill rides or even enhancements to existing rides. And then your research department goes off for several months (or years depending on how little funding you give them) returning eventually with an invention for a new ride.
Can players expect to find the newer coaster technologies, such as magnetically launched rides and pipeline coasters?
I've based most rides in the game on successful existing prototypes - I haven't taken things into the future or put experimental rides, but LIM launched rollercoasters do feature later in the game.
How much control does the player have over the coaster design?
The construction of the rollercoasters (and many other ride types) is achieved by plugging pre-set pieces of track together, piece by piece. This makes track construction very straightforward, and although it does limit what you can build, the vast set of angled, sloped and special track elements means you can build virtually any track layout.
Is it possible to theme a ride, in a similar way to Nemesis at 'Alton Towers' or Space Mountain at Disney?
Theming and scenery are an important aspect of Rollercoaster Tycoon. Each ride the player builds is given three different ratings by the game - intensity, excitement and nausea. The intensity and nausea ratings are straightforward, based mostly on factors such as G force, rotations, speed etc. But the excitement rating is also affected by nearby scenery and theming, as well as many other factors, such as tunnels, crossing other rides or footpaths, and racing. Basic scenery like trees and gardens is available when the game starts, but further items can be researched, like 'Egyptian' or 'Toyland' theming objects. Getting the excitement rating for your rides to a maximum is a major part of the game - it means you can charge more for the ride and your profit margins soar.
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