Railroad Tycoon 3

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Railroad Tycoon 3

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Platform: IBM PC Compatible
Release Date: October 24, 2003
Genre: Simulation
Style: Business Sim
Similar Games: Business Tycoon (IBM PC Compatible), Airport Tycoon 2 (IBM PC Compatible), Vega$ Tycoon (IBM PC Compatible), Ultimate Tycoon (IBM PC Compatible), Prison Tycoon (IBM PC Compatible)

Game Description

Developer PopTop delivers gamers to the age of steam, steel, commodities, and capitalism in this sequel to its 1999 hit Railroad Tycoon II. As did that game (and also the classic original, Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon), Railroad Tycoon 3 casts players as the captains of an up-and-coming railroad system, in competition with other, like-minded entrepreneurs to claim as much of the lucrative 19th and 20th century rail trade as they can. Beginning with a modest amount of start-up capital, players found a company, purchase cars and locomotives, lay down track, and choose the kinds of cargo their fledgling rail systems will move and trade.

Track-building tools include bridges, overpasses, and the return of tunnels from the original version of the game. Players can choose from over 35 different commodities, the value of each tied to a dynamic in-game economy. More than 40 locomotives, from the earliest steam-powered machines to the latest electricity-driven "bullet" trains, are available to haul these goods from town to town. This third edition of Railroad Tycoon challenges would-be captains of industry to prove their capitalist savvy in 25 scenarios set in locations around the world. A sandbox mode is also available, for those who would rather build their rail empires on their own terms. Online multiplayer support includes a matchmaking service.

While Railroad Tycoon 3 is designed to retain and improve upon favorite gameplay features found in the earlier titles, it also makes some changes -- the biggest of which may be the switch to full 3D, thanks to a game engine PopTop developed itself for this project. Players can now view any part their developing empires from nearly any angle, with a camera angle that spins, pans, and zooms smoothly on most contemporary computers. To ease recognition and make management easier, the trains, stations, towns, and other landscape features are not completely accurate in scale to their surroundings, but they now appear much more realistically across the game world countryside.

~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Production Credits

Company 1: PopTop Software; Game Design: Phil Steinmeyer; Additional Design: Franz Felsl; Producing - Internal: Phil Steinmeyer, Franz Felsl; Tech Lead: Phil Steinmeyer; Game Programming: Brent Smith, Phil Steinmeyer, Jeff Beckham, Andrea Ferris; Engine Programming: Guillermo J. Garcia-Sampedro; Art Lead: Franz Felsl; Art - Buildings and Trains: Todd Bergantz, Arne Schmidt, Steve Mohesky, Caspter McElwee, David Deen, Brian Feldges, Nathan Harris; Art - Cinematics: Nathan Harris, Brian Feldges, Steve Mohesky; Art - Interface: Franz Felsl, Arne Schmidt; Art - Landscape: David Deen, Todd Bergantz, Arne Schmidt; Scenario Designer: Franz Felsl, Daniel Eichling, Ted Spieth; Mapmaking: Casper McElwee, Daniel Eichling, Franz Felsl, Arne Schmidt; In-Game Sound FX: Daniel Eichling; Webmaster, Network and Operations: Daniel Eichling; MapBuilder Tool: Brent Smith; Testing and Balancing: Everyone; Music - In Game: Jupiter Studios; Lead Musician and Producer: Jim Callahan; Acoustic Guitar: John Jump; Stand Up Bass: Vince Corkery; Banjo: Rev. Edward Richard; Fiddle: Thayne Bradford; Dobro: Bob Breidenbach; Accordian: Thayne Bradford; Harmonica: Sandy Weltman; Narration: Dick Anderson; Sound (Cinematics): Mike Tipul; Music (Cinematics): HamsterBall Studios; Music & Lyrics: Randy Ryan; Lead Vocals and Banjo: Tim Wright; Drums: Tim Eversole; Bass, Guitar, Madolin and Dobro: Bob Bailey; Backing Vocals: Lindsey Ridenour; Company 2: Gathering; Development Director: Luke Vernon; Producer: Brian M. McGinn; Q.A. Manager, USA: Phil Santiago; Lead Tester, USA: Scott Vail; Test Team, USA: Charles Franklin, Tom McConlogue, Lisa Nawrot, Josh Noll, Greg Peeler, Mykl Ranere, Josh Rose, Justin Santiago; QA Manager, UK: Mark Lloyd; Lead Tester, UK: Charlie Kinloch; Test Team, UK: Kit Brown, Dan Goddard, Steve McGagh, Jon Dixon, Steve Bell, Lee Johnson, Craig Reeve, Sergio Russo, Peter Broughton; External Beta Tester: Scott Anderson, Dick Knisely, Richard Lally, Steve Lorenz, Jim Mapes, Jerry Meyer, Craig Walters; Group Production Co-ordinator: Chris Madgwick; Worldwide Head of Marketing: Sarah Seaby; Worldwide Project Manager: Christina Camerota; VP Publishing, USA: Chris Mate; Marketing Manager, UK: Tina Hicks; Marketing Director, USA: Greg Bauman; Product Manager, UK: Katherine Terry; P.R. Director, USA: Anne-Marie Sims; PR Manager, UK: Cat Channon; Channel Marketing Manager, USA: Mark Moon; Trade Marketing Manager, UK: Mark Jackson; Marketing Comm. Coordinator, USA: Dave Thomas; Online Marketing Manager: Julian Hoddy; Webmaster: Robert Fletcher; Art Director, USA: Mike Snyder; Graphic Artist, USA: Chrissy Bates; Group Design Manager, UK: Chris Madgwick

~ Keith Adams, All Game Guide