---------------------
THEMEPARK by Bullfrog
---------------------
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS LIST v0.3
Last Update: 1 February 1995
Maintained by:
David Leadbetter
Contributors:
Peter Elfers
(author of the Transport Tycoon FAQ),
Adam Williamson ,
(maintainer of the Wolf3D FAQ),
Howard Ship ,
Trevor Farrell ,
Ludvig Linton ,
Carsten Poulsen ,
plus many others
NOTE: Changes since the last version are indicated by a '!' in the
leftmost column.
Introduction:
------------
Welcome to a FAQ list for Themepark.
This file _attempts_ to answer many frequently asked questions
relating to Themepark, concerned with game installation and
game play.
If any of the following apply:
- your question is not addressed here;
- the information contained here does not answer your question;
- you have extra information to add to that already contained here;
- you have corrections to the information contained here
then any comments can be sent to the maintainer at the above address.
This is only an early version of the FAQ. Don't expect it to cover
anywhere near all the questions people have on Theme Park.
The contents of this FAQ are questions and answers that have been
collected from the news over the last few months.
If you want this FAQ to get better, please contribute!
Contents:
--------
0.0 Abbreviations
1.0 Installation FAQs
1.1 Versions
1.2 Hardware FAQs
1.3 Software FAQs
2.0 Gameplay FAQs
2.1 Game mechanics
2.2 Game simulation
3.0 Bugs
4.0 Play Reference
4.1 Renaming Attractions
4.2 Handymen Zoning
4.3 Signposts
5.0 Play strategies
6.0 Park Design
7.0 Utils
8.0 Tables
! 8.1 General Info
! 8.2 Price/Profit Ratios
-----------------
0.0 Abbreviations
-----------------
This section explains and abbreviations used throughout this file.
LMB - left mouse button
RMB - right mouse button
Each question in the FAQ sections is classified as follows:
Q: Question/Problem
A: Answer/Solution
R: Related Point
---------------------
1.0 Installation FAQs
---------------------
This section contains frequently asked questions related to installation
and configuration of Themepark.
1.1 Versions
------------
Versions of ThemePark exist for PCs, MAC, and Amigas (any others?).
This FAQ is aimed at the PC version only. However most of the
information it includes is applicable to the other versions. This
section on installation is applicable to the PC version ONLY!
Anyone wanting to write a version of the FAQ for the other platforms
is free to use the info in this FAQ (I'd appreciate being contacted
first though).
1.2 Hardware FAQs
-----------------
Q: My mouse doesn't work
A: Themepark has some serious problems with many mouse drivers.
(The general symptom is the mouse being resticted to the
top half of the screen)
The solution that seems to work for most people is to use
the MOUSE.COM that comes with Windows.
Q: Problems running intro.
A: A lot of people with CD-ROMs and/or sound cards have trouble
running the intro.
Try using the '-o' switch, or not run the intro at all (edit
the Themepark batch file).
Q: No mouse on the "Enter Nickname" screen
A: Some people with CD-ROMs and soundcards don't get the pointer
on the nickname screen. Apparently this is a memory problem,
and the only solution is to free up more memory (or buy some
more), or turn off sounds.
Q: I can't get sounds to work with my soundcard
A: To run low quality sounds you need to have 4M RAM
A: To run high quality sounds you need to have 8M RAM
NOTE: These are the minimum requirements. Even if you satisfy
these, you may note get sounds unless you are running a minimal
configuration.
Q: How do I get SVGA mode to work
A: Themepark uses the VESA video standard to run in high-res mode.
If your video card does't have VESA support built in, you need
to run a VESA TSR (usually supplied with the video card, or
a 3rd party util like UNIVBE).
! Q: How well does ThemePark run on a 386?
! A: If you play all your other games on a 386, chances are you'll
! find ThemePark fine to play on a 386. The game _does_ slow
! down as you get more little people in the park. One tip though,
! if you've only got a 386, DO NOT play in SVGA mode -- this is
! _really_ slow!
1.3 Software FAQs
-----------------
! Q: Are these any patches available for the game (PC version)?
! A: I am not aware of any patches currently available or being
! made :-( (But I could be wrong)
Q: How much memory for sounds
A: To run low quality sounds you need to have 4M RAM
A: To run high quality sounds you need to have 8M RAM
NOTE: These are the minimum requirements. Even if you satisfy
these, you may not get sounds unless you are running a minimal
configuration.
Q: How do I get SVGA mode to work
A: Themepark uses the VESA video standard to run in high-res mode.
If your video card does't have VESA support built in, you need
to run a VESA TSR (usually supplied with the video card, or
a 3rd party util like UNIVBE).
Q: It just won't work after installing!
A: If you are running EMM386, try installing without EMM386 loaded.
! Q: What's the difference between the floppy and CD-ROM versions?
! A: Both version are the same, except that with the CD-ROM version
! you get some bonus "cut scenes" of first person views of the
! rides.
-----------------
2.0 Gameplay FAQs
-----------------
This section contains frequently asked questions related to gameplay.
2.1 Game Mechanics FAQs
-----------------------
This sections deals with questions to do with building your park.
Q: I am having trouble building loops.
A: Loops can only be placed on a flat, straight section of
horizontal track.
Q: I am having trouble building cork-screws.
A: Cork-screws can only be placed on a flat, straight section
of vertical track.
Q: I am having trouble getting loops to work.
A: Someone has suggested that roller coasters must be longer than
a certain length before loops work.
A: The coaster car may not be going fast enough to reach the top
of the loop -- modify the track to make the car faster.
Q: I am unable to turn on the coaster.
A: This may be caused by not leaving enough room on the track
for the roller coaster to stop.
Q: The coaster never stops to let passengers on and off.
A: This may be caused by not leaving enough room on the track
for the roller coaster to stop.
R: The coaster will stop _twice_ if the track passes right next to
the ride entrance on both sides.
Q: Piece placement.
A: The actual placement and apparent placement of some rides
(especially the track ride entrances) can be very confusing.
Often removing a few lengths of extra track at both ends
will provide enough space to replace the object.
Q: Rides not being used.
A: Make sure you have queue lanes and the exit joined up to the
path.
A: Swap the queue path and exit around (for track rides).
A: People can't seem to walk across bridges that are part of a path
intersection -- add in a section of path between the bridge and
the intersection.
Q: How do you use direction signs.
A: Click on the attraction you wish to point to point to with the
sign tool, then place the sign where you want it.
Rotate the sign (if necessary) by clicking the LMB on the sign with
the sign tool. (see section 4.3 for further info)
Q: I can't replace a ride.
A: You have to demolish the old ride first. To do this click on
the old ride with the RMB. However you have to click in a certain
spot. Change into "tiny" mode to see where to click.
Alternatively you can click on the ticket booth (for rides that
have one).
! R: Demolishing the Roller Coaster or Big Dipper entry will also
! demolish all connected track, so it's a good idea to break
! the track manually first unless you like rebuilding the entire
! track.
Q: Piece placement difficulties - trouble placing ride tracks,
rides, shops, etc...
A: Unfortunately this is one of the annoying bugs you will probably
come across eventually.
It may be linked to a bad game state (e.g. rides exist that need
repair _really_ badly).
A: Sometimes it just requires a few persistent clicks to place
objects (sometimes a LOT of clicks!).
A: Sometimes attempting to place objects on long grass will leave
short grass that can cause placement difficulties.
Demolishing the short grass (i.e. click with RMB) may fix the
problem.
2.2 Game Simulation FAQs
------------------------
This section deals with questions to do with running your park.
Q: My game gets really slow.
A: The game slows down as the number of people in the park increases.
A: If you have a bad game state, the game might slow down
(e.g. rides exist that need repair _really_ badly)
A: Running in SVGA mode slows the game down.
A: Running at higher game speeds can slow down the game.
Choosing a slower game speed will increase the game response speed
(though game time will be slower of course).
Q: How to get the satisfaction levels up.
A: Turn on the fireworks display.
! A: Have a few entertainers at the entrance to hand out umbrellas,
! so that the little people aren't effected by the weather.
! A: Put in more exciting rides.
! A: Lower the gate fee.
Q: "Due to your bad park planning ... has gotten stuck".
A: The places people usually get stuck are in queue lines,
under attractions, and sometimes on the bus stop (!!)
Identify stuck people that are walking but stay in the same
place.
People stuck in queue lines can get freed by emptying the line
(e.g. turn the ride off)
People stuck under rides (because you built the ride on them)
can only be freed by destroying the ride.
[Anyone know how to help people that get stuck on the bus stop?]
A: If you can't find the stuck person (and it really bothers you),
empty the park of people by closing the park for a short while.
Q: "Your XXX ride has gotten so old you should replace it".
A: Unless you want the ride to blow up (leaving unmovable debris),
you need to locate the old ride and replace it.
Q: Black arrows over handymen.
A: This means that the handyman has a route assigned
Q: My mechanics get stuck
A: Sometimes mechanics like to have lunch in comfortable places
they can't get out of. When they are called to repair a ride
they get stuck continually answering their radio.
Simply pick them up with your "tweezers" and put them somewhere
else.
Q: My handymen get stuck in "turbo mode".
A: Picking them up with your "tweezers" should also fix up this
problem.
Q: Visitors get stuck in ride queues.
A: They should get unstuck when the queue moves, or when the queue
is emptied (do this by turning the ride off and on)
Q: Visitors don't follow queues, paths, etc...
A: Naughty aren't they ;-)
Q: Bikers in the park.
A: Bikers are attracted by two things: litter and fast rides.
Q: Everyone left my park.
A: Chances are you accidentally pressed 'O' and closed the park.
! Q: How do I make more money?
! A: You major income comes from two sources:
! - shops, and
! - the stockmarket (in simulation mode)
! So, make sure you're shops stay stocked, and it's worth spending
! some time getting the prices just right (see the table below for
! some indication of price/profit ratios).
! Learn to wheel'n'deal on the stockmarket to make a packet!
! Q: Why are so many little people wandering around hungry and thirsty
! when I have shops everywhere?
! A: The little people may not be able to find your shops. Use
! signposts to advertise their position.
! A: Your prices may be way to high for the average little person.
! A: Selling balloons, etc to the little people helps them forget
! how hungry and thirsty they are.
! Q: How do I know what prices to charge at my shops?
! A: The best way to set the prices is to "ask" the little people.
! Start by adjusting the prices in large steps, and watching what
! the little people say as they go by. If they are hungry but it's
! too expensive they'll say so, if not, they'll buy something.
! Once you have the price roughly right, you can spend a bit more
! time fine tuning the price if you really want too.
! Q: I have completed all the research, but I missed out on some of
! the objects.
! A: ??? bug?
! Q: I have completed all technology research before researching all
! the rides. Can you get updated versions of these rides?
! A: ??? Is some sort of research strategy required here?
--------
3.0 Bugs
--------
This section is intended to include a list of the bugs in Theme Park.
If you hit a problem, this is a useful place to check to see if you've
become a bug victim.
> Does anyone out there have a comprehensive list of bugs?
! - Stats for your employess do not always reflect reality.
! - The time working meter is often red (= 0% ?) for someone, even though
! they are actually working at the time.
! - Sometime the months employed field is not accurate.
!
! - Demolishing some structures leaves the ground unusable (you have
! to re-demolish each effected square to use it)
!
! - Monorail cars can sometimes try to go in opposite directions around
! the track (usually when the entrances have track on both sides).
!
! - employees and little people can get stuck in silly places (employees
! can get moved manually, sometimes nothing can unstick a little person!)
!
! - plenty of mouse related glitches
! - path tool selected if path is under cursor when picking shops, rides,
! scenery.
! - placing signposts near rides often changes what the sign points
! to rather than placing the sign
! - etc
------------------
4.0 Play Reference
------------------
This section is meant to supplement the manual.
Any poorly described sections of the manual should be enhanced here.
4.1 Renaming Rides
------------------
Park Attractions can be renamed by the player.
This can be done as follows:
1. Select the attraction you want to rename and open it's info
screen;
2. Bring up the name editing box by LMB clicking on the attraction
name at the top of the info screen;
3. Edit the attractions name;
4. LMB Click the "tick" button to finish.
NOTE: The "cross" button in the editing box doesn't seem to work.
So to leave an attractions name unchanged simply change it to
what it was originally.
Nice as it is to be able to do this, this can make it harder
when it comes to finding your rides that need replacing:
- the Advisors warning uses the default name anyway;
- all rides of the same type are renamed, not just one ride.
4.2 Zoning Handymen
-------------------
Once you get a few things set up in your park and some little people
wandering around, you'll quickly find rubbish (and other things)
on the ground spoiling your park. You use handymen to clean the
mess up. However, handymen left on their own, will quickly disappear
to happily mow the lawns forever, while your park turns into a waste
refuge!
To keep each handyman on track, you can use the zoning functions to
assign them cleaning routes.
A couple things to keep in mind with handymen zoning are:
- the route is a loop that passes through all control points
(reachable from the handyman's current position);
- the route can only follow the park paths and ride queues;
- any route that covers disjoint sections of path will only be
patrolled in the sections that the handyman can reach without
leaving the park paths (in fact when you are in the zone editing
mode, only those sections of the route "reachable" by the handyman
will be shown);
Handyman zones are assigned as follows:
1. Select the handyman whose zone you want to work on (place the
handyman on a path with the "tweezers" if necessay);
2. LMB click the zoning button.
This will toggle the handyman zoning mode. In this mode two
extra buttons are available:
- the "erase zone" button;
- the "add control point" button.
3. Select the "add control point" button;
4. LMB click on the path in the places you want the zone to pass
through. As new control points are added, the zone route (shown
with black shading) is extended to include the new control points.
Note: you can only have up to 8 control points in a zone.
5. LMB click on the zoning button when you have finished
assigning the zone to exit the handyman zoning mode.
Your handyman will now obediently partol his zoned route picking up
the litter as he passes by.
4.3 Signposts
-------------
Signposts are useful things for guiding the little people around your
park. When the little people pass a signpost and see something they
like, they will walk in the direction the signpost points.
Each signposts can point to:
- 1 ride (white sign);
- 1 shop (red sign);
- the exit (blue sign).
Placing Signs:
1. Select the signpost tool;
2. Select the object to point to:
With the signpost tool:
- LMB click on a ride selects white sign pointing to that ride
- LMB click on a shop selects red sign pointing to that shop
- LMB click on the exit selects blue sign pointing to the exit
3. LMB click on the path to place the sign. When placing a new sign,
the sign will be placed so that it points "towards" the selected
object.
4. Adjust the sign (if necessary) by LMB clicking on the sign with
the signpost tool to rotate the sign.
Note: clicking on an existing signpost only rotates the sign whose
colour matches the current colour of the signpost tool.
Caution: Close signposts should generally point away from each other.
Close signposts that point towards each other might trap little people
between them who are interested in the objects of both signposts.
i.e. Rather than using signposts like:
--------------
o=> <=o
-\-------\--
You should use the signposts like:
--------------
<=o o=>
---\---\----
> What other bits do people think need explaining?
-------------------
5.0 Play Strategies
-------------------
This section contains a few game strategies.
If you are having trouble doing well in the game following one of these
strategies may prove beneficial.
NOTE: Some of these strategies are included WITHOUT permission of the
person who posted the strategy. Credit has been given wherever possible.
Strategy 1: Beginners Tips
-----------
This strategy was described by:
Mike Wallis
1. Make sure you listen to your advisor -- especially when he talks
about the admission prices.
2. When just starting out, don't open your park until you've laid out a
few rides, bathrooms, food and drink stands, and merchandise shops.
You don't want your first guests to enter a park that has been poorly
laid out, because they'll be dissatisfied and word of mouth will hurt
future attendance levels.
3. Research the following first:
1) ride upgrades;
2) ride technology;
3) shops/attractions/games.
1) The ride upgrades will allow higher guest capacities, as well as
more reliability.
2) The ride technology will, obviously, give you access to better and
more exciting rides.
3) The shops/games will give you a wider selection of food/drink,
merchandise, and game units to place. These will generate profits
for you.
4. Don't pump too much money into research, as the research expenses are
incurred PER MONTH.
One important thing to note is that admission prices alone will not
provide enough revenue for your park to operate. That's where
food/merchandise/game units come into the picture. Combined with front
gate admission prices, the revenue that food/merchandise/game units
generate should bring your park into the black...
Strategy 2: General Method
-----------
This general strategy was desribed by:
Edward Kenworthy
I've had no problems - I've never had to take out a loan even.
(This is playing in full sim, medium hard).
My strategy:
1) Build all the rides that are available asap.
(build good rides two times and really good rides three times if you
can afford it)
2) Build shops, but not too many if it's not a rich country.
3) ALWAYS increase the price of the things your shops sell by 20-50% of
the default.
4) Research the maximum possible, spread between all areas, but
particularly the new rides and better rides.
5) When you have enough money, buy all your own shares - and then as
many of the others as you can afford.
6) Hire a mechanic when you find rides breaking down - and no sooner -
and hire an extra one each time you find rides breaking down and all
the mechanics are busy.
7) Hire cleaners as soon as rubbish appears (and assign them cleaning
routes).
8) When you build toilets hire a cleaner just to clean them - nothing
clears the park quicker than chain vomiting ! (By the way the number
of people in the park bears little relation to the number of little
people running around it ! - you have to look at the graphs for the
true picture!)
9) Hire a *few* entertainers.
The general rule is, don't buy anything or hire anyone unless you need
them. Anddon't forget to keep the wharehouse stocked.
Additions described by:
Brad Bishop
I have also found that if your workers strike (and, I don't particulary
care for unions, myself) you can click on the worker and then (for lack
of a better term) user the 'pinchers' to pick them up off the picket
like and set them back to work. Seems to work, they seem to happily go
about their chores. I don't know how this affects the rest of the game,
though.
One thing I would change from the recommendations above... Don't just
buy as much stock as you possibly can. You can build up quite a bit of
cash by buying low and selling high rather than just buying everything.
I have found that sometimes other parks stock will slip below 100/share
so that it costs you virutally nothing to buy all of their stock.
Usually, the next year that same stock is worth over 10,000/share so
that you make quite a nice little profit.
One other thing, make sure that your concessions are constantly stocked,
the majority of the cash you will make will not be from tickets but from
Ice Cream, Soda, Fries, Toys, Balloons, etc... This is where the cash
flow is for your park.
Once you have everything stablized (at least for me) your park will make
you a little money but most of your cash will come from the stock market
(relatively speaking - what I mean is that your park will do fine on its
own once you really have it going, and will supply you with a nice income,
but there is a lot of money to be made with stocks).
! Strategy 3: Satisfying The Masses
! -----------
!
! This strategy was described by:
! Adam Williamson
!
! 1. First of all, hire mechanics.
! When a ride breaks down, don't wait for a mechanic, TELL him to fix
! it (you do this by questioning him, clicking the spanner, and clicking
! on the ride you want him to fix).
! 2. Build LOADS of shops, and KEEP THEM STOCKED.
! 3. Put trees down next to every bit of path.
! 4. Have firework displays (press F).
! 5. Hire lots of entertainers.
! 6. Every time you build a ride, put your ticket prices up, because people
! don't PAY to get on rides -- their only function is to make people pay
! more to come in.
! 7. Buy yourself out on the stock market straight away - you don't want to
! be taken over.
Strategy 4: The Tech Advantage
-----------
This strategy was described by:
Howard Ship
Build a park and develop it to death. Optimize for profit. Crowd
the rides in. Don't care about aethetics. Eventually, you will be
rolling in money (example: 500 people in park, gate fee of *zero*,
income around 90K a month). Build up 5 or 6 million this way, then
sell the park. By this time, you will be number 1 in 4 or 5 areas.
When you sell the park, it resets you and your competition. Use that
increadible cash to maximize your research. You will be able to
crank out and setup an amazing park well before the competition. On
your second park, layout things more carefully.
Strategy 5: Something different
-----------
This short strategy was described by:
Peter Elfers
As an alternative to developing your park year after year, a different
approach is to develop a park just to sell it (if you can) at the end
of the year. There is an auction where you can wait until the price
is very high, then use that money to build a new park (even in the
same country).
---------------
6.0 Park Design
---------------
This section is intended to provide some opinions on useful park designs.
Your themepark can be designed with a number of factors in mind.
Things you may want to consider in designing the park layout:
- park asthetics (i.e. making it nice to look at - both for the
player and the little people)
- clutter control (i.e. keeping the rides nicely spaced out)
- crowd control (i.e. getting the little people distributed around the
park)
- facility layout (i.e. what facilities work best grouped together)
- host climate (i.e. the conditions: climatic and financial, of the
country your park is in
6.1 Park Asthetics
------------------
In the PC version you can use the nickname "DEMO" when starting Theme Park
to check out a demo park.
6.2 Clutter Control
-------------------
6.3 Crowd Control
-----------------
Here are a few idea of spreading out the crowd in the park:
- use arrows on the path to lead the crowd to the inner park
(where the better rides are -- right?)
- use a wide entrance area to avoid conjestion at the park entrance
6.4 Facility Layout
-------------------
6.5 Host Climate
----------------
6.6 Interesting Things To Try
-----------------------------
Here's some interesting ideas to try that you may not have considered
before:
RIDE CHAINS:
- build a roller coaster "chain":
i.e. an entrance ... some track ... another entrance ... more track ...
... more track ... the first entrance.
- do the same with the bumper cars, or the tube ride (the mono rail's
not the only way to get around the park ;-) ).
! STREET FAIR:
! - Use the grassy area out the front of your ThemePark to create a
! street fair! Sure, it's only 3 squares wides, but you have a decent
! selection of shops and scenery that will fit in that, and if you're
! tricky, you can even manage to fit in some of the track rides!
! (see the table on space requirements for clues on what things you
! can use in your "street fair").
---------
7.0 Utils
---------
This section covers any utils for use with Themepark.
(Any cheats etc)
Theme Park Cheats:
------------------
! BuiltIn Cheats:
!
! ThemePark has a built in cheat player that you can use to try out
! all the ride, shops, and scenery. To access this cheat player,
! choose to start a new Themepark, and use the nickname "HORZA".
! (Make sure you have "First game" set to "NO".)
! While you are making your park, you can press CTRL-C to activate
! the cheat mode. After which you can use the following extra keys:
!
! ALT-Z - gives you ALL rides
! CTRL-Z - gives you ALL shops
! LSHIFT-Z - gives you ALL scenery
Third Party Cheats:
At least one money cheat utility exists for Theme Park.
> Anyone know a reliable place to get it?
Theme Park Demo:
----------------
A demo version of Theme Park does exist.
> Anyone know a reliable place to get it?
VESA TSRs:
----------
If you don't have a VESA TSR for your video card there are plenty available
by ftp. One fairly general VESA TSR program is UNIVBE, available at any
SimTel mirror: e.g. OAK.Oakland.Edu : SimTel/msdos/graphics/univbe50.zip
----------
8.0 Tables
----------
This section includes some tables with various useful bits of info.
> Any suggestions on the contents of this sections are welcomed.
! 8.1 General Info
! ----------------
! These tables list some basic (but useful) info on Rides, Shops, and
! Scenery.
! RIDES
! Capa-
! Name Area Extra Full Type city Excitement Reliability
! Race Car Ride 2x1 Track Y GT 25 Very Good Quite Good
! Rubber Tubing 2x1 Track Y GT 25 Excellent Quite Good
! Big Dipper 5x1 Track N RT 4 Superb Okay
! Monorail 5x2 Track N RT 2 Bad Top Notch
! Roller Coaster 5x2 Track N RT 4 Top Notch Okay
! Loop The Loop 5x1 - Y TE 0 Top Notch Okay
! Water Splash 5x1 - Y TE 0 Superb Okay
! Cork Screw 1x6 - Y TE 0 Excellent Okay
! Big Wheel 4x4 Ent Y SR 6 Good Excellent
! Boucy Castle 4x4 Ent Y SR 4 Okay Very Bad
! Flight Sim 4x4 Ent Y SR 5 Superb Poor
! Ghost House 4x4 Ent Y SR 5 Okay Very Good
! Haunted House 4x4 Ent Y SR 14 Excellent Very Good
! Maze 4x4 Ent/Exit Y SR 16 Very Bad Very Good
! Merry-Go-Round 4x4 Ent Y SR 4 Bad Poor
! Observation Tower 4x4 Ent Y SR 20 Bad Okay
! Observatory 4x4 Ent Y SR 30 Okay Superb
! Parasol Chairs 4x4 Ent Y SR 6 Quite Good Poor
! Pirate Boat 4x4 Ent Y SR 8 Excellent Very Good
! Plane Flyer 4x4 Ent Y SR 4 Quite Good Very Good
! Planet Rocket 4x4 Ent Y SR 10 Bad Poor
! Snakes And Ladders 4x4 Ent Y SR 1 Poor Very Bad
! Space Shuttle 4x4 Ent Y SR 6 Very Good Very Good
! Super Spinner 4x4 Ent Y SR 20 Quite Good Very Good
! Tree House 4x4 Ent Y SR 1 Poor Very Good
! Clown Acts 6x5 - N LS 24 Okay Superb
! Cowboy Acts 6x5 - N LS 24 Good Superb
! Dolphin Acts 6x5 - N LS 24 Quite Good Superb
! Medieval Acts 6x5 - N LS 24 Very Good Superb
! SHOPS
! Name Area Full Type Addictiveness
! Balloon World 5x2 N Toy -
! Coffee Shop 3x3 Y Drink -
! Coconut Shy 3x2 Y Sideshow Very Good
! Duck Shoot 3x2 Y Sideshow Poor
! Gunshoot 3x2 Y Sideshow Quite Good
! Mr Whippy Ices 3x2 Y Sweet -
! Novelty Shop 3x2 Y Novelty -
! Saloon 3x2 Y Drink -
! Tincan Alley 3x2 Y Side show Good
! Arcade 3x1 Y Sideshow Top Notch
! Big Time Fries 3x1 Y Fast Food -
! Big Time Burger 3x1 Y Fast Food -
! Gift Shop 3x1 Y Gift -
! Pokey Cola 3x1 Y Drink -
! Race Track 3x1 Y Sideshow Very Good
! Steak Restaurant 3x1 Y Savoury -
! Toyland 3x1 Y Toy -
! SCENERY
! Name Area Type
! Lamp Post 1x1 O
! Tree Stump Fence 1x1 F
! Birch Tree 1x1 P
! White Fence 1x1 F
! Castle Wall 1x1 F
! Orange Tree 1x1 P
! Apple Tree 1x1 P
! Privet Hedge 1x1 F
! Rose Bush 1x1 P
! Tropical Bush 1x1 P
! Weeping Tree 1x1 P
! Palm Tree 1x1 P
! Oak Tree 1x1 P
! Spooky Tree 1x1 P
! Outhouse 1x1 T
! Boggy Crapper 1x1 T
! Lake 3x3 (1) W
! Super Toilet 1x1 T
! Centre Fountain 3x2 W
! Table Key:
!
! Area - the minimum bounding area required to build the object
! Extra - (Rides only) Addition Space outside the minimum bounding area
! required for:
! Track - the rides track
! Ent - the rides entrance
! Exit - the rides exit
! Full - (Rides and Shops) indicates whether or not the minimum bounding
! area is filled by the object.
! Ride Type: (2)
! RT - raised track (i.e. Paths can be placed underneath)
! GT - ground track (i.e. Require dedicated space)
! TE - track extras (i.e. require flat, straight track to go on)
! LS - live show
! SR - standard ride
! Capacity - (Rides only) The ride capacity (or for raised track rides, the
! capacity per car on the ride).
! Excitement - (Rides only) The ride excitement level.
! Reliability - (Rides only) The rides reliability.
! Shop Type - (Shops only) (3)
! For Refreshment shops - the food type sold
! For Souvenir shops - the object sold
! For Sideshows, the addictiveness is additionally recorded.
! Addictiveness - (Sideshows only) How addictive the side show is.
! Scenery Type:
! P - plant/tree
! F - fence
! W - water feature
! T - toilet/latrine
! O - other
! Notes:
! (1) A Lake piece must be placed in a 3x3 area, but can be reduced
! to take up only a 2x2 area (and can of course be made much larger)
! (2) All track ride entrances can be oriented in four ways:
! facing down ("normal"),
! facing up,
! facing left, or
! facing right.
! The area required to place the ride entrace varies according to
! the orientation of the entrance (raised track ride entrances are
! manually oriented, ground track rides are automatically oriented).
! (3) For shops, it is possible to reclaim the area under the shop for
! other objects (except the square directly under the shop -- see
! this in tiny mode).
! You can reclaim this area by erasing the ground under the shop
! (i.e. RMB click on the square).
! This will change the grass from short "used" grass to normal
! "usable" grass. You can also do the same to the square directly
! under the shop (just click "No" when it prompts you to confirm the
! delete operation), but the only thing you can put down is a path.
! In this was you can pack MUCH more into your park if you really
! want to (you effectively reduce the space requirements for each
! shop to a single square!). It looks pretty messy however.
! 8.2 Price/Profit Ratios
! -----------------------
! These tables (provided by Trevor Farrell ),
! are the results of an experiment that aim at determining the optimal
! sales margin for various shops.
! Tables are included only for "Big Time Fries" and "Balloon World".
! (Tables for other shops will gladly be accepted from anyone wanting
! to conduct their own experiments.)
! Trevor explains:
! The results were obtained by saving a setup, setting a price, running
! the sim for a predetermined time and noting sales, reverting to the
! saved setup, adjusting the prices, etc...
! It is clear from the limited data so far that the margins are very
! different for different products, but there was good correlation for
! the results presented. They seem repeatable and consistent.
! My conclusion is that the initial computer suggested mark ups are way
! too low for most products.
! Big Time Fries:
! Buying at: 35
! Computer suggested mark up: 45
! Price Contribution Margin Sales Profit
! 45 10 29% 36 360
! 50 15 43% 30 450
! 52 17 49% 25 425
! 54 19 54% 20 380
! 55 20 57% 28 560
! 56 21 60% 20 420
! 58 23 66% 19 437
! 60 25 71% 10 250
! 65 30 86% 10 300
! 75 40 114% 4 160
! 85 50 143% 0 0
! Balloon World
! Buying at: 10
! Computer suggested mark up: 12
! Price Contribution Margin Sales Profit
! 10 0 0% 29 0
! 12 2 20% 26 52
! 14 4 40% 27 108
! 16 6 60% 23 138
! 18 8 80% 24 192
! 20 10 100% 21 210
! 22 12 120% 21 252
! 30 20 200% 0 0
! Unfortunately, the economic environmental conditions that were
! used in this experiment are unknown, but may well be an influencing
! factor.
! Addition questions also remain:
! - Does the optimal margin change during the life of the game?
! - Is the optimal margin dependant on starting price?
[THE END]
--
David Leadbetter Email: davidl@cs.uq.oz.au
PhD Student Phone: + 61 7 365 1195
Department of Computer Science FAX: + 61 7 365 1999
The University Of Queensland 4072 AUSTRALIA
