Hard At Work

[belbincolne]

Well puzzled by this new scenario. There's a FAQ which makes it even more puzzling just a couple of examples - cant take over an AI in year 1 - no AIs ever appear! Become sole Railroad - same. In fact almost everything in the FAQ never applies.

The scenario itself is incredibly easy - being stupid I thought it meant target is Company Cash but in fact its Personal cash so I've not even been trying - but PC as distinct from PNW is hard to achieve so dont know how I would get on.

Be pleased to hear from Ken - and also about his other new scenario.

[Hawk]

Unfortunately Ken (bothersome) is no longer involved with RT3. As he stated in an email to me;

It was a lot of fun developing the code for those maps to keep the robber barons in check. But those are days gone past and I've moved on to bigger and better things nowadays.

I found those maps on his website and asked if I could add them to the archives here.
He's now involved with Railworks.

Did you click on the link that says 'Check out the FAQ page for this map'? I seem to remember a couple of helpful tips on how to achieve the PC. It was either the 'Hard at Work' FAQ or the 'American Empire' FAQ. Don't recall which one right now, but both revolve around PC.

[belbincolne]

Well I re-looked at these two scenarios - and the Hints. Realised that they are identical and (possibly) some apply to one and not the other. Both are incredibly easy so far as making Company money is concerned and thus offer no challenge in this respect.

American Empire - took 59 years to get to Bronze - its open ended and by then was so big it was running very slow and had already given up the ghost twice. Couldn't get Gold for several reasons. The targets are conflicting so almost impossible i.e. If you go for PNCash you need to get 100% of own co and pay huge divi. This means you have to go less for the AIs - who also do very well so get a majority of their own stock so takeover impossible. Those I did takeover then started another AI !!

H at W - gave it another try. This one at least has 30 year slot. But no AIs and there was no way I could even reach the same percentage as the AIs had at start up in my Company after 20 years at which point I was fed up and gave up. Still found the Hints ludicrous.

Sorry but I reckon these two are a waste of time. If anyone plays and has some success I'd be interested to learn how.

[RayofSunshine]

There is a FAQ in the "Hard at Work". I was interested in its contents as I have some problem trying to figure out how to the the "only member" when none of the othe members own railroads. Well, at least for the number of years of which I have played to the present. However, I didn't read it, but printed it, as I have a few other house projects we are trying to get completed prior to Christmas.

Now, I did not think to see if the American Empire had a FAQ as well, but will check it at a different time.

Bel is correct in his comments of existing problems. And without some goal of attainment, most Tycoons will probably not play either of these senarios. But I am a die hard, or maybe just a nut who likes to play. Hence just a suggestion to similar members. If you just like to play, it is some what of a challenge as maybe a Demo, to just take one more step up from a "sandbox", without the hassle to input your own buildings. You can still purchase and operate the supply to the demand of commodities.

Basically, I hate to see any creation just discarded. Now I am not any way an authority of programming. Well other that pushing the botton for "ON and OFF". But maybe some one might just get permission from these senarios creator to complete the goals which the creator left hanging. Even though there are new creations periodically. These creators using their talents, immagination, and time, to bring us new adventures.

SO, hats off to each and every creator, even if they don't complete their intended endeavor.

[1wojtas]

Well... After one hell of a metagame I've managed to beat this map for gold medal in a record(?) time of 22 years (21y, 10months). Lots of playtime, lots of robberbaroning (within the rules of this map), lots of save reloading, lots of managing companies, lots of lost nerves, lots of everything just to try to squeeze the victory until 23 years have passed. I am probably reviving the dead topic, but wanted to share my accomplishment anyway.

[Gumboots]

Hadn't ever noticed this map. Was it fun?

[RulerofRails]

1wojtas, Congratulations on a new record! and Welcome to the forum!

Took a look at this map for the first time. I haven't tried it before. From what I can tell, this map's seeding/economic-design seems very similar to PopTop's Alternate USA one. When I saw that you start play with a company based in Florida (you could start elsewhere after February, but you have 2.5M of assets in Florida), I suspected that this one would have some rather variable seeding possibilities. I tried two starts and in one Florida is basically empty of farms, in the next the whole state was awash with farms.

Now I always say that seeding isn't such a big deal, because other factors generally balance it out (like choosing a different location according to where that seeding puts greater density of cargo), but here it can mean a big difference. For example, I had a 1.6M first year on the farmed-out Florida seed. Depending on some other factors, I can see half that (800k) being a tough ask on the sparse Florida seed. What first year result did you have?

[1wojtas]

Hey! I don't quite remember exact amount of first year earnings. At start, personal cash equals zero, so this defines your further actions. For me, the quickest way to leech some cash for starting own company and destroy the given one in a process, was to profit over bought industries for the first 4-5 years (at my best try). I think it is required to have minimum 10M Personal cash after 5-7 years from the start, to have even a chance of winning the record gold (7 years before the deadline) . And good economical seed does the difference - you will be buying and placing industries like crazy. And yes, I enjoyed playing this scenario.

[RulerofRails]

I tried playing this for 5 years or so. With the density of cargo on a good seed, theoretically obtaining 300M personal cash in 30 years isn't that difficult for me when using a single company that I will quickly get 100% ownership of. Maybe 15 years to build a company that makes $30M profit per year consistently and then 10 years of paying max dividends. Of course, part of the setup of this one is that you start with no personal cash and rely on salary or shady dealings to get enough cash to invest in stock, start new companies, etc. I need 3-4 additional years to do this which would make it close to the 30 year limit.

I normally don't start heaps of companies, and much prefer to develop a single company to the hilt using initial ROI from new rails that is often 50%+ to supercharge company growth. To me the requirement to ruin the AI seems to prevents playing most of the game in one company. The robberbaron stuff isn't interesting to me. I have only bankrupted AI in this game on a handful of occasions by short-selling when at least one AI player has a big outstanding margin. It wouldn't suprise me if another way exists. Unless I discover, or someone tells me of, about a better way to bankrupt the AI without company sabotage, I will leave this map for those who like that stuff. I can only imagine things getting ugly with track everywhere etc. I like a clean, organized game.