new map for rrt3-1.06 TROPICANA

[arop]

Here is my latest creation, a fictive map called Tropicana. It's a small tropical island with NO manufacturing industry, you simply have to create your own industrial empire to generate more freight traffic. To ship some export goods, in case one port or more disappers, some ports are buyable. Some random events are included, such as native riots, locust attacks, strikes and hurricanes. There is a cash overflow event eliminating all company cash more than 10 mill.

TEST REPORT:
a) I had all 63 cities connected in 1916.
b) I had achieved all bonuses in 1927.
c) I had achieved 100% ownership in 1930.
d) I won the gold medal in 1932 (game end 1940).

Any comments, advice or suggestions are, as always, welcome


NOTICE: beta 2 version below

[RayofSunshine]

Well Arop,
I just finished playing OilCan's Red Rvr Valley, so now I will attempt your Tropicana. Now I know believe that you had mentioned that you would rather "create" than play scenarios, but I believe that you would really like OilCan's creation. Although there have been "top of the line" created scenarios, I believe this Red Rvr Valley is in that "top".

[Hawk]

I'm close to finishing OilCan's Red River also (my 5th attempt ).
Even though I don't really care for PNW goals, I'm going to try this one next.

[Hawk]

OK! I fired this map up, but when I realized that there was only 300 track sections available per year for the first 45 years, I didn't go any further.
Sorry! It just seems a bit limited to me.

[RayofSunshine]

Well I have played for 10 years, and that 300 track does "pinch" progress, but will "push forward", to see just how much progress can be made. City cnns are somewhat sparce, as there are some distances between cities which doesn't leave much remainder of track in the attempt in obtaining cnns to 63 cities. That and lay track for farm supply spurs. very interesting concept of challenge, and will just have to continue to see how things work out.

[RayofSunshine]

Well I played into 30 years and am still running into a problem with the Structure Buildings, mainly that of the Coffee Port. Periodically I was purchasing and placing them along the coast as I was expanding, and then connecting to the Coffee Plantations. I didn't pay that much attention to them, but was rerouting supplies of coffee to them, from that of the created ports. But then I started to check on them, to make sure that all of the loads were being detracted from those created ports to that of my Coffee Ports. I my surprise, I have a dozen or more supplies in each depot, but all of the years of the Coffee Ports have a negative operating of "0", and naturally a negative profit as well.
The created ports are functioning fine. Just don't make any revenue from them. However, I am starting to reroute the coffee supplies back to the created ports, as at least I am able to get some revenue from the "steel" which the coffee generates of both ports and warehouses.

And I got to thinking, which in itself is amazing, LOL, that I had purchased a Crystal & Bauxite Port. Well, that was not doing anything either. I can manage to save the Bauxite in constructing an Aluminum Mill, and then a Tool & Die for some revenue, but the Crystal hauls are lost.

I didn't get "stung" with the Ore Port, as I built a couple of Furnaces for both the Rocks and Ore hauls. But that Port probably doesn't work either.

[RayofSunshine]

Okay, I managed to get the Gold in 1928, even with the problems with the "ports". The only goal (bonus) which I did not complete was that of the 30,000 hauls. Only managed 18,137. May have been possible if I went to 1940.
I didn't attempt the "complete ownership", as I find that the stock splits before all stocks are obtained. Sort of like a "catch 22", or "round robin". That 300+ tracks in 1926 didn't help much, as the (+) only gave me (1) once, and (30) another time. I did micromanage in the initial 10 years, but after that it was just to "play the game". But, it does take some planning overall, and enjoyed its concept of challenges.

[arop]

I have realized that unseeded ports and warehouses doesn't work when buyable in version 1.06, and I've found it necessesary to post a beta 2 version of this map.

What's new?:
a) 30.000 loads LTD is reduced to 25.000.
b) Yearly track quote is increased from 300 to 400.
c) Number of cities increased to 70.
d) Buyable ports removed and replaced by 3 seeded warehouses.
e) Crystal production reduced by 85% (there is no electronic industry on the island).
f) Coal density reduced from 400 to 250%.

I think this time this map will work better!

[RayofSunshine]

Well Arop,
Then that explains the reason for the Railway Structures not working in other 1.06 scenarios. Too bad, as they are of helpfulness in their respective use.
The Railway Structures were of benefit to also enhance a player revenue, unlike most seeded ports. NOW, if there is some return in a commodity, that will help, unlike those which are strictly "demand".
Will give the new beta an attempt as it does have some likeable changes.

[RayofSunshine]

Well Arop,
Having connected the required "65" cities, I received a notice that "being that you have connected "50" cities, (but I don't remember the balance of the notice). There is a "safety net" as I connected 69 cities.

[RayofSunshine]

Managed to get the Gold by 1927. Was not able to get the bonus for the coal, just short with 460, or ingots, which was a catastrophy with only 190. To try and increase the supply, which was in the teens and twenties, I built my own Furnace, to see if production could be better. Wrong. But then I usually have a problem with both "furnaces and electric plants". This time I played the scenario in 'standard' option, and didn't find it much different than with the "narrow gauge". There always seemed to be an adequate amount of available track, but then I always determined as to what goals I would try to accomplish with "track vs revenue" But overall, it was both interesting in concept and challenge.

[arop]

The version 1.1 of this map has just now been submitted to Hawk

[Hawk]

It's been added.

http://hawkdawg.com/rrt/rrt3/map_arch/r ... -lands.htm

[RayofSunshine]

I played this scenario again, and did not notice this "situation" in previous attempts.

In 1920 there is a notice to pay $5M to upgrade the system from narrow to a standard gauge. I don't remember my choice in previous attempts, but for $5M, I probably decided against it, as I did in this attempt.

However, the next "notice" said that "it was a good choice, and that many colonists lives would be saved". What has the colonists have to do with not changing the track gauages? Any comments?

[arop]

It seems that I have to have a look at this map again, it seems I have committed a couple of minor blunders! It sometimes happens when copying events reusing their triggers!