Gibraltar Express: reviews/testers wanted

[brunom]

First of all, merit to Hawk for Gibraltar v1.0 and EPH for Express D'Orient. I based this one on those creations. I also peaked their programming here and then for clues and Hawk additionally helped in cracking a bug.

So here is.
There are 7 different territories to start from and each one gives different bonuses.
Goals are network extension, connecting key cities and delivering some cargo in specified areas.
The scenario is quite open and there are plenty of industry opportunities as well.
Map is huge, will take some time to seed economy at start and slower computers will make slow saves.

Your views please!

B, (as in beginner)

[Hawk]

and Hawk additionally helped in cracking a bug.

That was not a bug. That was intentional. See my other post in your other thread.

[brunom]

Correction:
Hawk helped me in finding out how to sort a problem in my scenario.

I also noticed right after posting the map, that I forgot to place trees.. That's now "glitch" no.1, in the to-be-corrected-after-tests list.

B

[RayofSunshine]

Well, I ran a test and find that the scenario has a good concept for the challenges which have been created for the goals. It does take some planning to complete the goals which are required. I did not purchase any industries, alhough they could help in obtaining extra revenue. The engines which become available throughout the game are good for both speed and incline capabilites.

Now I stated from the city and territory of Marrakesh, and only played it in the Medium level. Although some day I will try the Hard or Expert levels, but until then, I will leave them for you better Tycoons. Hope you enjoy as much as I did in testing.

[Hawk]

I tried this one on Medium and after 30 years I had all the requirements for Gold, except for the track miles, which I only had about 3,700 miles of track laid.
I'm guessing I would have to connect all the cities and towns on the map to make that requirement. That's when it starts getting a little boring and typically turns in to just burning track to meet the requirement.

I might give it a go on Expert.

[RayofSunshine]

My testing was probably done some what different than that of Hawk, as I was playing it slower, and it took 40 years for requirements, only to find that I only had 44G of track. It might have been that I had a sufficient amnount of time with a 50 year deadline.

It probably depends on where the track it laid, but I did not need the France and Valencia territories to get the track requirement. It was my opinion as that of Hawk laying tracks to every city on the map, but that did not "ring true".

The scenario is still in a BETA mode, so I am sure that Brunom will make some changes. Right now he said that he was trying to enjoy the summer, rather than just sitting inside at a computer. LOL Don't blame him for that thought.

[Hawk]

Maybe lowering that 8,000 track miles a bit and add some more events to make it more of a challenge.
Believe me, if I can get as far as I did that soon, it's a pretty easy scenario 'cause I ain't the bestest player 'round these parts.

[brunom]

Hiya folks

Seems we are all here (just replied to Wolverine in the LX thread as well)!

Yes, the extent of network required is huge comparing to the rest of the requirements. I found the same (my prior-to-beta-version had 10,000 miles for gold!) and have been thinking about stuff to add.

Some ideas:
- connect Marrakesh to Zaragoza (instead of Leon)
- add a second mandatory connection for gold only (say, Oran to Lisboa)
- connect all capital cities for Gold (Oran, Fez, Marrakesh, Cordoba, Valencia, Leon and Zaragoza)
- 50 diesel hauls to Cordoba instead of 10 oil
- 50 steel to Fez instead of 10 to Oran
- introduce express speed requirements (like EPH's Express d'Orient)
- introduce yearly cargo hauled requirements (this would be a bit tricky to tune - would have to be a growing requirement, like the ones in LX suburban)
- introduce blow-apart events like war between north and south, loss of benefactor, earthquake...

I took a lot of time making the actual map, but less thinking about the goals for the scenario.

By the way. AI's life is made easy for the first 10 years with an event, but after that, in all my tests, they just stop expanding altogether - did this happen in your games as well? Should I make them even more expansive?

[brunom]

By the way, Gold isn't triggering, but I found what why and will be fixed in the next version.

[Hawk]

The map itself looks good.

I never have cared for the speed requirements. I do like the idea of increasing the two haulage requirements. I don't think 50 would be too much, but it would be a bit more difficult.

The AI did expand a little after the first ten years, if I remember right, but eventually stopped all together, although that could be because I basically blocked them from expanding further by connecting my rail to theirs. Even made a good profit from that.
I even had one AI that connected it's network to mine.
As it is, the steel requirement does take some time to set up since the only demand for steel in Oran was at Algeirs. I did like that. I like the idea of connecting to all capitol cities too, but that's just me.

If you wanted to introduce blow-apart events, I would recommend keeping them to a minimum, maybe even only one or two. They can get a bit aggravating if there's too many.

[brunom]

Novel idea!

(I always wanted to use that smile)...

What about making more AI more expansive but demand that your company has more than 50% of the track in the map (dunno if it's programmable yet)... would call for some stock exchange playing as well...

[Hawk]

At some point the AI is going to stop expanding when it gets to the point that the cities are further away , or the player track is in the way, so I would think that would be a pretty easy goal.

Here's a shot of my map 41 years into the scenario.

Clipboard02.jpg (82.25 KiB) Viewed 7723 times

At this point I was just buying up industry trying to make enough money to lay the needed track. Once I had enough money it's an easy thing to pause the game, burn a few thousand miles of track, un-pause the game and get Gold.
To me there has to be a reason to connect to the majority of cities other than just lay track. As you can see in the above shot, with what little track I had I was rolling in dough. What you see is after extensive industry buying. I didn't even start buying industry until about year 35.

[brunom]

Indeed.. I see your point... I've always played connecting cities your map comes as a little surprise..
(more like having an expert showing me what matters and what doesn't, which is very cool and thanks for that)

Anyway, maybe the shortest way to get to a more demanding goal is to require a certain number of cities to be connected.

Or, set up an inverse relationship between track cost and number of cities connected.. actually, I like this idea a lot -
(basically, it would dynamite your strategy, Hawk)

The map is so big there are also too many good industry opportunities... Maybe if the game taxes industry profits after the first 10 years or so it will force players to get their money from hauling stuff to cities instead..

cheers for all the help and ideas, always appreciated!
B

[Hawk]

By no means am I anywhere near an export. What you saw is just my play style.

I will say that the trains I had hauling steel and oil never were profitable since it was such a long distance, so after I made 20 loads of each I retired the trains. That was about 35 years into the scenario.

[brunom]

Been chewing on this for a little... and I have come up with a nice formula (I think).

After some time of play, player looses a "political benefactor" - he had chosen one at the start. After that, his political influence is directly related to how many cities he has connected... The less cities, the less influence.. the less influence, the higher the likeliness of regulatory fines, special taxes, political scandals, etc. etc..

I have thought of a few "******, i should have that politician/newspaper/union in my pocket!" events, but I need a large list to make this work nicely. Any/all ideas appreciated.

And, Hawk, if that won't make you connect cities, nothing will

B

[Hawk]

And, Hawk, if that won't make you connect cities, nothing will

B

Yep! I reckon that would do it.

[RayofSunshine]

Wow, those suggestions and ideas are making this scenario some what of a different scenario all together from the BETA which I ran tests. However, they all seem to be within reason to make a more challenging "project". It will be interesting to see all this come together in the "mix" or "additions".

From the looks of your endeavor Brunom, it doesn't look like you will be spending much time outside and enjoying the summer, but with your "nose" to the computer screen inside with a beer, or wine. LOL

Good Luck. Just let me know when you have your Gibraltar BETA 2 ready. Will give it a try, and could be interesting, as both you and Hawk mention the use of "industries" of which I use very little, unless it is a requirement.

[brunom]

It's so hot outside that it's crazy to get out before 5 or 6 pm... 40 ºC and next to zero humidity! So, no worries with that.. cold beer is a good idea (already in place along with some peanuts).

As for the scenario - my problem is writing up a large variety of events that can happen to a company with poor political influence..
I've come up with about half a dozen, but it requires imagination/time and sometimes my poor English bunks on me and it's annoying.

Here's what I've come up with (these can happen at random, and the less cities you have connected the more likely they are)
- accident in a track -> popular demand for more security measures -> track becomes more expensive
- unions ask for better work conditions -> government not on your side -> engine and station maintenance gets more expensive..
etc. etc..

I need more ideas however, otherwise the few I made will end up repeated over and over, which ain't nice.

[Hawk]

That pretty much sounds like a government controlled environment already.

[Blackhawk]

I haven't played the map so these idea might not work but there's a few possibilities:

shippers/people want direct access to their final destination, rather than having to ship to a city and then find another mode of transportation to get to their final destination. If you don't connect to the cities, you'll have to offer them incentives to still use your railroad. --> So either you can have reduced cargo/passenger production, or maybe your company pays for passenger's connecting modes of transportation, so at the end of the year, a portion of the passenger revenues is deducted from your company. Ex. I made 300k from passengers, but 1/3 went to the cost of making sure the passengers were comfortable enough on their long trips, so at the end of the year I get "fined" or have to pay 100k back from my profits.

Miners/drillers strike --> coal/diesel becomes more expensive, the government decides how to ration out the reduced amount of fuel --> Fuel costs are increased.

Possibly something where larger railroads are trying to put the smaller railroads out of business:
Larger Railroad lobbies the government for a yearly territorial access fee, which they will be able to pay easily, but might cripple the smaller railroads. '
or
Locomotive manufactures are running behind in all their orders for new engines. Preference is given to the largest railroad companies who place the biggest orders. If you want a locomotive on time you'll now have to pay more. --> Increased engine buying costs.