I. Copyrights
II. QuickQuestions
III. RCT2: The Rides
IV. RCT2: In-Depth-- The 4D Coaster
V. RCT2: The Shops and Stalls
VI. Transportation: The Footpaths
VII. Transportation: The Transport Rides
VIII. RCT2: In-Depth-- Queue Lines
IX. RCT2: The Finances
X. Scenario Walkthrough
XI. The Roller Coaster Designer
XII. The Scenario Editor
XIII. Advanced Building Techniques
XIV. Easter Eggs
XV. Downloads
XVI. Recent News
XVII. Version History
XVIII. Recognition
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I. Copyrights
This may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any website or otherwise publicly
distributed without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any
other website or as part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and
a violation of copyright law.
As of now, the only other place you will find this FAQ at is my own website:
http://www.geocities.com/plasmadragonx7000. Should you find this FAQ anywhere
else other than GameFAQs or my website, please contact me at my e-mail
address: x_dragon7k@hotmail.com!
I have also sought permission from BCigan to include a Recent News section,
which can be found at the end of the FAQ. If you should steal this without
permission from either of us, you will be dealt with legally.
I have also given permission to Infogrames Australia to host this FAQ. They
are abiding by my copyright laws.
Q: What is RollerCoaster Tycoon 2?
A: RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 [RCT2] is a PC/Windows simulation game. It allows
you to manage your own theme park, complete with roller coasters.
Q: Is this an expansion pack to RollerCoaster Tycoon [RCT]?
A: No, this is not an expansion pack. RCT2 is a brand new game, so the older
scenarios from RCT will not work on RCT2.
However, some of the older parks have been modified to work with RCT2. You will
find these "new-old" parks at the official RCT2 website, which is:
http://www.rollercoastertycoon2.com/.
Q: Have the graphics improved?
A: Yes and no. Yes, the graphics are improved in the sense that they are
"smoother", but no, they are the same graphical engine of RCT.
Q: RCT2 won't work on my computer! Why?
A: You need a patch to make RCT2 work on your computer. You can get the
patch at: http://www.rctstation.net
Once you have the patch, I recommend you un-install RCT2, install the patch,
then re-install RCT2. This almost always provides successful results.
Q: Is it possible to play RCT2 without the CD?
A: Traditionally, no. But, you can download an unofficial "No-CD" patch. The
patch is available at: http://www.rctstation.net
Q: What happened to some of the RCT rides? Are they gone?
A: Nothing from RCT was taken out in RCT2. Rather, they are re-located or
re-named more intelligently! For example, the Steel Twister roller coaster
has now been split into three new roller coasters!
Q: What types of new rides are there?
A: RCT2 features an extensive amount of new rides! There are new transport
rides, new gentle rides, new thrill rides, new water rides, and, of course, new
roller coasters! In addition, there are plenty of new shops and stalls, as well.
Q: Can you have custom music in this game?
A: Yes, you can. However, it is an unsupported feature. To do it, you must
convert your song into a .wav file. From there, move it into the RCT2 folder.
Q: How do you stack scenery?
A: To stack scenery, simply hold down the 'SHIFT' on your keyboard, and build
scenery like you normally would. This technique allows you to have tunnels,
signs, and even "sky towers"! (See Advanced Building Techniques.)
Q: What is excitement, intensity, and nausea?
A: These three aspects are simply ratings of your roller coaster. In other
words, they tell you exactly how your coaster will fare with your guests. They
also tell you exactly why your coaster is too extreme. You should always pay
close attention to these three ratings, as your coasters are worthless without
them!
Q: Why can't I charge for ride admissions/entrance admissions?
A: As you will learn later, you can only charge for one aspect of income. So,
you can charge for ride admissions but not entrance admissions, and vice versa.
Q: Can I download custom scenery?
A: Yes, you can. However, it is an unsupported feature. To do it, you must find
a website that has it, then properly put it into the RCT2 folder.
Q: Are Six Flags parks included?
A: Yes, there are five Six Flags parks included on RCT2. They are: Six Flags
Magic Mountain, Six Flags over Texas, Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags
Holland, and Six Flags Belgium.
Q: What is the Roller Coaster Designer?
A: The Roller Coaster Designer is an option that allows you to create roller
coasters free of all distractions, including finances! (See The Roller Coaster
Designer.)
Q: What is the Scenario Editor?
A: The Scenario Editor is an option that allows you to create your own
scenarios!
You can fill them with rides, scenery, even bathrooms! As if that wasn't enough,
you can even upload your best scenarios to www.rollercoastertycoon2.com! (See
The Scenario Editor.)
Q: What is the overall goal of RCT2?
A: The overall goal of RCT2 is to be the best park manager you can be! Of
course,
you are going to have to face very tough challenges! You aren't just becoming a
manager: you are becoming a landscaper, an accountant, an employer, and an
entertainer! You must utilize all your skills and tools to be the best! That,
and
what your guests get out of it, is the overall goal of RCT2!
Q: What is Wacky Worlds?
A: Recently, the Wacky Worlds expansion pack was released for RCT2. As the first
expansion to RCT2, Wacky Worlds adds many new scenery implements, including
world-famous landmarks. Any store that carries RCT2 should also have Wacky
Worlds in stock.
Q: What's this I hear about a new expansion?
A: Infogrames has annonced a new expansion pack to RCT2. It is scheduled for
release on October 22, 2003. Nothing else is known about it, however.
UPDATE: The new expansion will be called RCT2: Time Twister. As for actual
gameplay and screenshots, though, you're out of luck.
Q: What the %&#$&#* hell is a 4D Coaster, anyway?
A: The 4D Coaster is simply another name for the Multi-Dimension Roller
Coaster, one of
the most expensive roller coasters you can build in RCT2.
III. RCT2: The Rides
RCT2 features over 100 rides! As you can already guess, this doesn't make your
goal easy to accomplish! You have to know what rides are best for what scenario,
and you must know when to stop and start building! Below is a quick run-through
of all the available rides and attractions, and vital stats!
NOTE: Before you read any further, read this! I am getting several e-mails a
week regarding as to what exactly the 4D Coaster is. The official name of the
4D Coaster is the Multi-Dimension Roller Coaster. I use the term '4D' simply
because I'm more comfortable with it. With that out of the way, let's move
on...
No doubt that the 4D Coaster is one of the most popular coasters available.
No doubt that the 4D Coaster is one of the most expensive coasters available.
Despite this, though, you still want one in your park. So, you save your COH,
you get a space in your park ready, and you build one. However, there is one
"small" problem: you have no idea how the seat rotators work! As you watch a
train speed along the track, you note that it spins all different directions!
How on earth will you ever know what degree does what? Well, you came to the
right place! This section is-you guessed it-all about the 4D Coaster. This
section will explain every single degree, so that you are a whiz at 4Ds!
(NOTE: If you still have trouble after this section, contact me via e-mail and
we'll get your problem solved!)
KEY ROTATIONS
0 degrees- trains face forward [backward]
90 degrees- trains face straight down when track is horizontal
180 degrees- trains face backward [forward]
360 degrees- trains do a complete turn and return to last used degree
495 degrees- trains do a complete turn and move 90 degrees past last degree
INCORPORATING THE ROTATIONS
The Key Rotations are the rotations most commonly used. While there are others,
they aren't used as often, or are made from combinations of the Key Rotations.
For example, 90 degrees and 45 degrees make 135 degrees, a rotation that is
used to put the trains parellel to the track vertically. Every rotation,
starting at -180 degrees, moves up by 45. So, by knowing this, it is easy
to find any rotation you may need. For example, if you have the trains set
to rotate 180 degrees, and want them to move up 45, just set the rotations
back to 225 degrees to complete your goal. Again, by knowing where you want
your trains to rotate ahead of time, you can always do it.
However, each time you set a higher rotation than before, you also give the
train more movement. Think about it: If a train was at 0 degrees, would it
move more switching it to 90 degrees or 180 degrees? It's the same thing with
any other degree. Let's say you have a train at 135 degrees, and you want it
to face backward. In this case, moving it to 180 won't give you the results.
You would have to make the next rotation 45 degrees, because you are simply
adding an additional 45 degrees to 135 degrees, not an additional 180
degrees. (Forgive me if this is confusing; it's the best I can explain it.)
So, you have to know from the start where you want the trains to go. (In
terms of rotation.) Obviously, it's easy making the first rotation, but it
isn't easy when you are dealing with inverted track and quarter loops.
Finally, know when to add and subtract. (No, I'm not talking about math.) If
you test your coaster, and you get fairly low intensity, then consider adding
a rotation or two. However, if the intensity, after testing, is too high,
then consider subtracting a rotation or two. The safest 4D Coasters, in terms
of popularity, are ones that feature about two to four rotations, and high
intensity. When you get better, it is possible to get away with as many as
seven rotations, but for the most part, don't go overboard- your guests will
thank you for it later!
ADVANCED 4D STRATEGIES
To get the most out of your 4D Coaster, make the rotations serve a purpose.
You'd be surprised how many people just rotate the seats just to rotate the
seats. If you want higher excitement, make sure you rotate the seats wisely.
Below are some ways of rotation that enhance the excitement of the ride:
"SCREAM!"
Most people prefer to make the first drop on a 4D Coaster a vertical drop.
So, to really make that vertical drop scary, rotate the seats 135 degrees from
0 degrees, or rotate the seats 45 degrees then 90 degrees. What this does is
it puts the seats perpendicular to the track. In other words, your riders will
be facing straight down as they go vertical! Insane! This strategy alone can
add at least 1.10 excitement to the ride.
"INSANE FLYER"
Whenever you invert the track, all the rotations are reversed. Positive
degrees move the trains up, while negative rotations move the trains down.
To have some fun with inverted track, turn it into an insane flying ride!
First, rotate the trains to 135 degrees, then move them up to 90 degrees.
Your riders will be "flying", much like the experience found on the Lay-Down
Coaster. However, it is even better; rotate them 360 degrees, then all the
way to 495 degrees. Your guests will spin twice, do a half-turn, then return
back to the original rotation. Plus, bump up the excitement by having quarter
loops and barrel rolls.
"FINAL TERROR"
Make the track piece before the brakes rotate 495 degrees. Your guests will
do an unexpected full circle, and then rotate quickly to 0 degrees!
THE TOTAL EFFECT
By now, you understand the key rotations and advanced strategies. So, how
about building your own monster 4D Coaster? It really shouldn't be too
difficult now! I recommend you study the 'X' pre-fabricated 4D Coaster- it
really shows you how to make a great 4D Coaster with rotations! Happy
building!
Type: Information Kiosk
Approx. Cost: $250
Base Product Cost: $.60/$2.50
Profit: $.50/$.50
Type: Restroom
Approx. Cost: $225
VI. Transportation: The Footpaths
Face it; you can't get anywhere without footpaths. That's why a well-designed
system of footpaths in your park is an absolute must! However, this is much
easier said than done. This section will focus on the footpaths, and give you
the best ways to arrange your footpaths. So, let's get started! (NOTE: Before
we begin, always keep this formula for footpaths in mind: K.I.S.S. It stands
for KEEP IT SHORT and SIMPLE.)
THE ENTRANCE PATH
Most people don't think about it, but this is the most important path in your
park. The entrance path is what gets your guests in and out of your park.
Therefore, you want it not only wide, but full of vital shops and stalls.
Think about it; if you lose all your money just to enter the park, won't an
ATM be helpful?
So, begin by making the entrance path at least 2 units wide. This will help
prevent crowding, and also serves a reminder to guests as to where the path
goes. Make sure you have at least one ATM, one Information Kiosk, and one
Restroom along the path. Also, benches and litter bins are a good idea. If
possible, having access to a Transport Ride is a very good idea, too! That way,
you further prevent crowding, and make money, too!
However, don't make your entrance path too long. Believe it or not, guests whom
have been in your park for just 5 minutes do get tired! Keep the K.I.S.S.
formula in mind, though, and this shouldn't be a problem at all!
THE "MAIN" PATH
Most parks will feature one wide, long path that leads to all of the major areas
and rides. Therefore, you must distinguish this "main" path from all the others!
To do that, remember to keep that path at least 5 units wide! Also, always keep
that path "littered" with benches, litter bins, lamps, shops, stalls, and rides!
By keeping scenery along your "main" path, you also keep guests entertained,
which helps to prevent vandalism while raising your park rating, too!
Make sure the "main" path is marked by banner signs, and always have at least
one Transport ride station go to the "main" path. That way, guests will rarely
get lost. Or, if a guest gets tired in the back of the park, they can get on
the Transport and take it to the "main" path.
When designed intelligently, a "main" path can be almost as entertaining as
a ride! Plus, an intelligently designed "main" path will quickly herd your
guests from area to area!
THE RIDE EXIT PATH
This can be one of the hardest paths to construct. You want to keep the distance
short, but at the same time, you want to keep those nosy guests off of it. What
are you to do?
First, put a 'NO ENTRY' banner sign at the front of the exit path. That way,
no guests can get onto the path. Second, keep the exit path in a straight line
for as much as possible. Try to have as few turns and curves as possible. Also,
if the nausea is every 5.50 or higher, place a Restroom on the exit path. In
addition, don't be afraid to have a First Aid Station on the exit path. And,
of course, always have benches and litter bins along the exit path.
(NOTE: If the nausea starts to take its toll on the guests quickly, you will
want to keep a Handyman 'working the line'. This will not only keep the path
clean, it will prevent problems in the future.)
THE SCENIC PATHS
There will be times when you want your park very beautiful. There are times
when you will want your paths to run along a river or scale a mountain. It
goes without saying that these paths will usually be small, uncrowded, and,
off the main pathway. Therefore, these often unnecessary paths can be
headaches if not handled properly.
First, always make these paths 'one-way'. Make one side accessible, but put
a 'No ENTRY' banner sign on the other side. That way, guests will still get
to their main destination, but won't get lost, which only leads to vandalism.
Also, 'one-way' paths make viewing the scenery easier, which was the purpose
to begin with!
If you must make a scenic path, try to vary it. Keep parts of it in a tunnel,
or keeps parts of it underground or along a high cliff. This way, not only
does it fulfill the purpose of the path, it keeps guests entertained, rather
than getting them bored on an out-of-the-way path.
THE DIFFERENT PATH TYPES
RCT2 provides you with a generous amount of footpaths, ranging from dirt to
stone. While they are all the same, you may prefer a certain type, or want to
use different path types for different areas or themes.
For example, a nature path or a scenic path is most associated with the dirt
path. This doesn't necessarily enhance the purpose, but your guests will notice
it and give you positive feedback. If you are dealing with classical themes and
scenery, then stone paths tend to work very well. Or, if you have a space age
or futuristic park, then red paths seem to work wonders.
While it is all really your opinion, you may want to mix-and-match different
themes and paths to see what works best. The same goes for the path supports.
THE "SQUARE MILE" APPROACH
Once your park gets very crowded, you will want to have intersections as
frequently as possible. One way to accomplish this is to have the "square
mile" approach. Simply put, this refers to intersections every unit, so the
spaces between are one square unit. Not only will this herd guests along
quickly, it leaves you room for scenery or for shops and stalls. If there is
one downside to this, though, it encourages more guests to your park, which
ends up defeating the purpose of the whole approach.
ENHANCING PATH VISION
Despite your abundance of Information Kiosks, guests will still get lost on
your paths. An easy way to prevent lost guests is to have an Observation Tower
or Double-Deck Observation Tower at each end of your park. Not only will you
get income from this popular ride, it lets guests rest and see the park, which
works as free advertising for every ride! As stated earlier, it obviously keeps
guests from getting lost, as they have a panoramic view of every path! If
lost guests becomes a real struggle for you, consider this strategy.
As you can see, footpaths are among the most important aspect in your park. If
they are not properly designed, they can ruin your park's atmosphere. Plus, it
will be impossible to reach any rides! So, always design with a plan in mind;
and remember the K.I.S.S. formula!
VII. Transportation: The Transport Rides
Footpaths are nice, but they make guests tired. And we all know what tired
guests do! So, to really get your guests from here to there, you are going
to need Transport Rides--lots of them! Next to coasters, they are your biggest
money makers. However, they can be very frustrating to build. This section
focuses on the different Transport Rides, and ways to use them wisely.
THE CHAIRLIFT
Usually available from the very beginning, the Chairlift is a good Transport
Ride to start with. However, it has some major disadvantages--low speed and
low capacity. However, with a cheap cost, it works wonders for a small to medium
sized park.
Chairlifts can operate in two mode: Continuous Circuit, and Shuttle. The latter
mode is perfect for the beginning years of your park, as a complete circuit will
cost you quite a bit of money. Also, Shuttle Mode means you don't have to worry
about using up a lot of money or space.
Chairlifts work best when they travel over scenic areas. It gives guests a
chance to relax and view the beauty of your park. Plus, Chairlifts can be built
to a large height, so they act as a way to easily locate major paths and
attractions.
THE ELEVATOR
The most specialized Transport Ride, the Elevator will be used less frequently.
However, if used correctly, it is also the most useful Transport Ride. Simply,
the Elevator makes multi-leveled parks a breeze to navigate. It also allows for
a special type of food court, a "Sky Tower". (See Section XIII for more
details.)
Whenever a park features an extensive amount of hills or levels, you know an
Elevator is the most practical Transport Ride. With its fairly cheap cost and
large capacity, you'll pay yourself back the moment you build it. Also, with
high populariy, the ride can be fairly expensive to ride! And, like stated
earlier, the "Sky Tower" can give you 'hidden' income.
For extremely complex parks with underground, level, and above ground sections,
having more than one Elevator in operation can be very wise and profitable. It
is far more practical than a Monorail or even a Chairlift. However, for small
parks, the Elevator isn't very practical.
Again, the Elevator is specialized, and will only work in certain conditions.
So, before you build one, always make sure it will work for you!
THE MONORAIL
The most used Transport Ride, the Monorail is also the most practical for nearly
every type of park. High speed, high capacity and moderate price equal out to
one great transport!
Like the Chairlift, the Monorail operates in both Continuous Circuit Mode and
Shuttle Mode. While Continuous Circuit works, Shuttle Mode is actually far
more useful, even if you only get one train. With Shuttle Mode, the train moves
faster, so more guests ride per hour. That equals out to more income from the
ride. The Monorail also has three types of trains: Retro, Small, Modern. While
it all comes down to your preferences, Modern is the most useful. It holds the
most guests and travels the fastest.
The worst aspect of the Monorail, however, is its inability to climb inclines.
Even small inclines slow the train significantly. Therefore, try to keep the
Monorail as flat as possible. If you can, run it completely underground, or have
it tunnel excessively. While small inclines are somewhat tolerable, it really
isn't worth the trouble.
Monorails are good for sight-seeing, as well. For example, build an incomplete
Monorail track and set the mode to Shuttle Mode. Open the ride, and you'll
notice that the train travels to the end of the track, and simply goes back to
the station. While it doesn't necessarily transport guests anywhere, it does let
them rest and see the best parts of your park.
THE MINIATURE RAILROAD
One of the less used Transport Rides is actually one of the better. While the
Miniature Railroad must be a Continuous Circuit, it is rather popular and it
holds a huge amount of people. However, it can get rather expensive, so only
build it if you really need it. If you want it for 'novelty', though, make
sure it actually transports. The worst thing you can do is have the track a
circle. It makes guests angry, and we all know what angry guests do...
The Miniature Railroad is even worse than the Monorail when it comes to
inclines. NEVER have inclines more than 20 ft. because it will really slow
down the trains.
Overall, the Miniature Railroad isn't your best option, but it works well when
you need it to.
THE TRAM
Probably your worst option overall, the Tram is not very good. Low speed, low
capacity, and horrible at making inclines, this ride is better used as a full
circuit sightseeing ride. While using it for Transport is entirely possible,
it really shouldn't be bothered with.
VIII. RCT2: In-Depth-- Queue Lines
Welcome to section 8 of this FAQ. While we are still on the subject of moving
around your parks, it is time for another in-depth look, this time on the
queue lines. As you know, these are the gateways that get guests on your rides.
Without them, your rides are completely useless. This section will show you
some techniques to get the most out of your queue, including ways to reduce
long lines and angry guests.
THE COMPACT APPROACH
For a Gentle or Thrill, use this approach. Basically, it lets you squeeze in
a lot of queue units in a relatively small area. First, build your entrance
station. Then, wrap your queue around part of the ride. Then, swing the whole
line back to the front, and send it to the main path. While it covers a small
amount of ground, it holds a lot of guests, which is always a good thing!
THE INTENSE APPROACH
For a roller coaster, this is a good type of queue line. Basically, it winds
around an exciting part of the coaster, usually a vertical drop. Plus, like the
Compact Approach, it holds a lot of guests in a small space. First, build your
entrance station. (This approach works best if the entrance station is raised.)
Then, build a queue that winds downward, preferably down a vertical slope.
Finally, connect the queue to the main path. Open the ride. As you will
quickly notice, guests will not only enjoy the queue because it goes around
an exciting part of the ride, many guests will also be on the queue. Another
advantage to the Intense Approach is that it raises both satisfaction and
popularity for the ride.
THE COBRA APPROACH
For maximum capacity, nothing beats the Cobra Approach. By winding the queue
around both the ride and itself, you will hold many, many guests! It is very
simple to build, too! As always, build your entrance station. Then, build your
queue in a straight line. However, right before you get to the main path, curve
it so that it goes back to the left or right of itself. Then, once you get to
the ride, curve it again. Keep curving it until you see fit. Once connected
to the main path, it will look like a cobra. Plus, with the spaces in between
the queue units, you have room for landscaping! Out of the many options for
queue paths, this is the most commonly used, and the easiest to build.
THE NO QUEUE APPROACH
Yes, it is possible to have no queue for a ride, but it isn't very wise unless
you are willing to suffer from little to no guests per hour. That equals out
to little income from the ride. However, if it is needed or works for you, then
go for it! Obviously, all you have to do is connect the entrance station to the
main path directly. While long lines will never be a problem for the ride, only
two people can actually wait in line. So, again, only use the No Queue Approach
when it is necessary. It robs you of income that you may desperately need.
REDUCING THE EFFECTS OF LONG QUEUE LINES
When a queue line is full, it gives you hope. You know that the ride is
extremely popular! However, you may notice that guests are restless. They
stand there complaining of long, long rides. Worse, they may ditch the ride
all togther! That's money just walking away from you! How will you deal with
this common problem?
The first step in this ongoing battle is to have short, yet long queues. In
other words, have a queue long enough to serve at least 100 guests per hour,
but short enough that the wait time is never more than 10 minutes. Believe it
or not, this simple construction step can cut nearly 60% of all complaints!
Once the queue is built, place queue TVs on every unit. This entertains the
waiting guests, and further reduces complaints or ride-ditchers. In addition,
this can get the guests hyped, which raises popularity and satisfaction for
the ride!
In addition to all that, don't forget about the Entertainers. These staff
members can "work the line" to cheer up bored or angry guests.
If these simple steps are followed from the start of the ride, then most
complaints will quickly cease, if any ever erupt. Of course, there are times
when the ride-ditching guests will want to return to the ride. However, these
guests won't necessarily get back in line on the queue; rather, they will
brainlessly walk up and down the queue. This can easily peeve the waiting
guests! So, do your best to keep these guests off the queue. One way to do this
is to use the One-Way Path Approach. By placing a 'NO ENTRY' banner sign near
the queue, guests who want on the ride can get on, but those who don't want
to get on can't. This also clears the exit path, so there is little congestion.
LONG-LINE QUEUE IN-DEPTH: THE 'DYNAMIC' QUEUE
I give credit to DSimpson and JChaimberlain for this idea. Basically, it is
a special queue line that can be expanded when needed, but shorten if the lines
get too long! Amazingly, this is incredibly easy to build!
First, build a normal queue line. After it is built, place a small row of
queue tiles next to it. If the ride gets popular, and the queue is constantly
filled, then connect the excess rows to your line, and you now have a longer
queue line! If the lines get too crowded and guests begin to complain, then
delete one of the queue tiles and you're back to your shorter path. This
can be a bit complicated, so only use it for rides you think will alternate
between being popular and being abandoned.
IX. RCT2: The Finances
Let's face reality for a moment; you can't do anything to your park unless
you have finances. Money is king. Without it, there are no roller coasters, no
shops and stalls, nothing. Naturally, finances are not easy to handle! Welcome
to section 9 of this FAQ. As you can guess, it deals with finances. Every
aspect in RCT2 will be covered, from Cash-on-Hand [COH] to fiscal reports. But,
enough talk; let's begin!
CASH-ON-HAND
Cash-on-Hand [COH] is exactly that; it is the cash that you use to build rides
and attract guests to your park. Of all your finances, it is the most visible,
and the most used. By looking at the lower-left of your screen, you can track
how much COH you have. If this number is white, it means you have a positive
amount of COH. If, however, the amount is red, it means you have a negative
amount of COH. It does not mean you are in debt, though. (You can have negative
COH but not be in debt. See the sub-section on Fiscal Reports for more
details.) If you do have a negative amount of COH, it means you have a problem
in your park. You may be under-charging your guests, or you may be spending
more income than you are taking in. By using the fiscal reports, you can easily
see what the problem is. By fixing the problem, your negative COH should and
will quickly rise. (If the problem isn't fixed within 1-2 months, then see the
Last Resort sub-section for more details.) Once your negative COH has risen,
you can begin to build more rides!
Obviously, every time you build a ride or attraction, your COH is depleted. To
see approximately how much your COH will deplete, check the approx. costs of the
rides and attractions. In other words, every time you build a ride, it will
tell you how much it will approx. cost. That amount is what comes out of your
COH. Therefore, if a ride approx. costs $9000, that means that $9000 will
approx. be drained from your COH. Of course, if you only have COH of $7000,
then you won't be able to build the ride.
While building new rides is great, don't get too ambitious. You'll be amazed
and unaware how quickly your COH can deplete. While your COH can easily be
built back up due to wise pricing, you should always take caution and plan
ahead. A smart technique for the COH is to always keep a minimum of $5000. That
way, you always have a fair amount, and don't have to worry about negative COH.
One more thing about COH; staff paychecks are taken straight out of your COH.
If you have many staff, that equals out to one huge lump sum at the end of the
month! You could happily be building along, then suddenly fall into deep
negative COH! Again, planning ahead is the way to go. As soon as reach the 20th
of the month, stop or yield construction. Consider raising prices slightly,
because you may lose quite a bit of money. Once you see a large drop in your
COH, you know the month has passed. After that, you can begin building again,
but remember to lower those prices! If you don't, guests will be become
vandals! (See section XIII for more details on dealing with vandalism.)
FISCAL REPORTS
Fiscal reports are a series of tools and graphs designed to help you get the
most out of your income and finances. It will show you everything from your COH
to weekly profit! When used wisely, fiscal reports can help you prevent any
long-term or future debt! So, let's take a closer look, shall we?
--EXPENDITURES/INCOME
This first tab shows you the heart of your park. It shows you what each part of
your park is doing, in terms of taking in and taking out of finances. It shows
you the income from rides, the income from shops, entrance admission, and so
much more. Naturally, this is the first tab you will check whenever you need
to see your income.
Another important purpose of this tab is that it allows you to set up loans.
As you may already know, loans allow you to borrow money from the bank. You can
use this money to build any rides you so desire, but there is a catch; you must
pay back your loan, with interest. Obviously, borrowing a huge lump sum can
easily hurt you in the long run, so, and I cannot state this enough, plan
ahead. Know in advance why you are taking out a loan, and why you are taking
out the loan amount. Before taking out a loan, ask yourself, "Can I pay back
the loan and the interest?" I recommend you take out a loan as a last resort;
it really should be, anyway.
Another advantage to the Expenditures/Income tab is that it allows you to
foresee any money problems, including debt. If you are taking in less than you
were the previous month, then there is a problem. From there, you could try
polling your guests. If they are commenting that your entrance fee is low,
raise it. If they are complaining, try lowering your prices. (While this could
actually worsen the problem, guests tend to not pay at all when prices are
too high.) Check the Expenditures/Income tab every month to see how your park
is doing. You may just find a problem you didn't know about.
--WEEKLY PROFIT
This tab shows your park's weekly profit, but it tends to be unreliable
because it is always changing. It basically incorporates all aspects of
income: admission fees, ride fees, and, of course, profits from shops/stalls
and rides. Like the COH, this overall amount may be red. Again, it doesn't
necessarily mean your park is in debt. Rather, it represents a problem that
is keeping you from getting the most out of your park. If the Weekly Profit
is red, wait. More often than not, it quickly changes back to normal.
What usually happens is after a rapid change in prices or paychecks, your
profits compensate by briefly operating in the red. Again, they will almost
always quickly change. Even if they don't, don't worry so much about them.
It is simply a way of managing which rides are taking in more than it costs
to maintain. It isn't designed to be used to judge your park's success. You
have the Expenditures/Income tab to do that!
--PARK VALUE
This is a special way of measuring your Expenditures/Income. Park value
is simply what your park is worth, in terms of all the rides/attractions,
their ages, and so on. It is an extremely complex formula, but is important,
especially for scenarios whose goal is to have a specific park value by a
certain date. To increase and maintain Park Value, always keep your rides
new and in good condition. Always have your rides checked regularly, and
try replacing them with models of the same. That way, you will be able to
accomplish the two goals: keeping your rides new, and keeping your rides
in good condition.
--COMPANY VALUE
This is all finances, combined. This is what you are ultimately working for.
Company value is COH and Park Value, minus your loan [CV=COH+PV-L]. It is
also the goal of some scenarios. While entertaining guests and focusing
on the rides is good, your overall goal should be to increase your company
value and pay off your loan. Obviously, the more interest you must pay, the
greater your loan will end up being. So, every time you pay off a loan, your
Company Value will rise. Company Value, next to the scenario's goal, is the
most importatant aspect of RCT2, so always be aware of it.
SPECIAL FINANCIAL TOOLS
RCT2 gives you two options of using your finances. The first way is via
marketing. By spending a certain amount of money each week, you will, in
time, regain it by encouraging more peeps to come to your park. The second
option is land purchasing. By purchasing or gaining rights to a piece of land,
you can increase the size of your park, and use the extra size to either build
new rides or stalls.
MARKETING CAMPAIGNS-
ADVERTISING YOUR PARK
While this is the most expensive option, it is also the best one for attracting
guests. This campaign includes all areas of your park, especially newer areas
you need to popularize. For each week that you advertise with this campaign,
expect an extra 100 people. Therefore, advertising the full six weeks will
give you roughly an increase of 600 guests. And, if park admission was set at
$50, then figure an increase of $30,000 after only six weeks! (Compare the
$30,000 to the $5000 spend on the campaign. You just made a profit of $25k!)
FREE ADMISSIONS TO THE PARK
If you are rolling in the cash, than this is a good campaign to use. It lets
guests enter the park for free for a certain time. While you may lose money
at the gate, guests also become more willing to spend money on stalls and rides.
For the sly park builder, this means raising all food and ride prices.
HALF-PRICE ADMISSIONS TO THE PARK
This campaign is exactly that; guests get 50% off the entrance fee. If you
charge $50, then the guests will get in for only $25. This is useful when you
need to make a surplus amount of cash, perhaps to pay off a loan. While this
campaign does not drive in as many guests as you would expect, you also don't
lose all admission fees for the guests that DO come in.
FREE RIDE ADMISSIONS
This campaign should be used only for a new ride you want to popularize. It is
pretty self-explanatory; it allows guests to ride a particular ride for free.
However, you might want to use it purposely to attract guests to a certain
area of the park, especially if that area is the area containing the new ride.
Another use could be to draw attention to an old, aging ride like a 10-yr. old
Merry-Go-Round. Since you most likely charge only $.10 for this ride, it can
help bring guests back onto old glory. Plus, the ride just may gain back some
of its lost popularity permanently.
FREE FOOD/DRINK ADMISSIONS
Like the Free Park admissions, this campaign lets peeps get food and drinks
for free. Use this campaign only if you charge entrance admissions. Otherwise,
you will lose a ton of money. In charge-for-rides-and-stalls only admissions,
food and drinks make up the core of your income. This is why you should only
use this campaign if you are running a park that charges entrance fees.
ADVERTISING A RIDE
This is a copy of the Free Ride Admissions campaign, only it doesn't cost
you any money. (In this case, it means you won't lose any money from free
admissions.) Therefore, use it just how you would use the Free Ride Admissions
campaign.
LAND PURCHASING
BUYING LAND-
This is pretty simple. Click on the tab that allows you to buy land, and start
buying! Any land with a white sign can be purchased. However, there is a catch.
Land values vary from scenario to scenario. And just because you can buy land
doesn't necessarily mean that you can buy connecting land. Often times, you
can buy land on one side of a highway, but you can't actually buy the highway.
So, how do you connect the land?
CONSTRUCTION RIGHTS-
Construction rights is a specialized type of land purchasing. Instead of
actually owning the land, you own the rights to it. In other words, you can
build above or below it, but you can't alter the land, and you can't build
directly on it. This is how you would connect land on two sides of the highway.
You purchase the rights to the highway, then build a path over or under the
highway. Except in rare cases, construction rights are always used with land
purchasing.
X. Scenario Walkthrough
While RCT2 allows you to be creative, it also has some challenging pre-set
scenarios! While it is best to experiment with them on your own, this section
is designed to help you out, particulary the tougher ones! Here's how the
section will be set up: I will have three categories, Beginner, Challenging
and Expert. Below each will be the scenarios in each category. Finally, under
the scenario, I will provide some vital stats, along with some strategies
you may want to use. This way, it is easy to find out how to win each
scenario!
BEGINNER PARKS-
Scenario: Crazy Castle
-Objective: To have at least 1,500 guests in your park at the end of October,
Year 4, with a park rating of at least 600.
-Financial Report:
--Entrance Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: YES
-Strategies:
Perhaps the most misunderstood thing about Crazy Castle is the size of the
park. Contrary to popular belief, you own land on all sides of the castle.
Therefore, you have plenty of room to build rides. As you may notice,
there is a river behind the castle. This is perfect for the available water
rides, as the warm climate will bring in plenty of income. Despite all the
available land, though, focus on building within the castle walls. Obviously,
the Medieval Theme is going to come in handy here. Use it for all the rides,
as it will raise excitement and intensity, which means guests will pay more
for the ride.
The biggest problem with Crazy Castle is the footpath system. First off, either
limit or demolish access to the branching footpaths, as they can easily get
guests lost. Once you have a small corner filled with rides, consider
utilizing one of the footpath systems mentioned in section VI. I recommend,
for this scenario, the Square Mile Approach, as it really allows for some
money-booming Thrill rides! Plus, it gives you maximum guest-capacity in a
relatively small area. If you can deal with the footpaths correctly, then this
scenario really isn't all that hard!
Finally, once you make enough money, consider building a roller coaster,
preferable one that wraps around the castle. This will not only drive the
few last guests you may need, it also gives you even more money! Plus, you
can start advertising it, which helps to bring in even more guests! Keep at it,
and soon this scenario will be won! Way to go!
Scenario: Electric Fields
-Objective: To have at least 700 guests at the end of October, Year 2, with
a park rating of at least 600.
-Financial Report
--Entrance Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: YES
-Strategies:
This scenario is easy. Because you don't have to worry much about money,
take out as much as you want. Get a roller coaster built early, as it will
easily drive in 50-100 guests. However, be prepared for a lot of maintenance.
Hire Mechanics and Handymen early in the game.
Due to the scenario's relatively flat ground, feel free to add excitement
to your coasters by adding hills, valleys and tunnels. Remember that flat
ground also means you can add plenty of scenery and buildings! Have fun with
this scenario, as it is arguably the easiest one in RCT2.
Scenario: Factory Capers
-Objective: To have at least 1,100 guests in your park at the end of October,
Year 3, with a park rating of at least 600.
-Financial Report:
--Entrance Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
This is another rather easy scenario. Approach it the same way you approached
Crazy Castle, only be ready to deal with less land and fewer rides. However,
since you can't charge for the rides, focus on building more Gentle and Thrill
rides, rather than cocentrating on expensive roller coasters. Just like
Crazy Castle, focus on a theme; in this case, the Mechanical theme. Stick to
advertising and quantity, and you should easily pass this scenario in no
time!
CHALLENGING PARKS-
Scenario: Amity Airfield
-Objective: To have at least 3,000 guests in your park at the end of October,
Year 4, with a park rating of at least 600.
-Financial Report:
--Entrance Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
While more challenging than any previous scenario, it still shouldn't give
you too much of a problem. Deal with this scenario in sections; each square
between the paths could hold different ride types. (EXAMPLE: One section
could have Gentle rides, the other could have Thrill rides, etc.) Also,
always advertise your park. This, as always, will easily bring at least 700
people into your park, all at once! In addition to advertising, consider
building a Transport ride, preferably a Monorail or Suspended Monorail. With
a park this large, it will really come in handy! Deal with this scenario like
you deal with any other; you'll beat it sooner than you think!
Scenario: Botany Breakers
-Objective: To acheive a monthly income from ride tickets of at least $10,000.
-Financial Report:
--Entrance Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: YES
-Strategies:
Don't worry too much about this scenario. While it may seem impossible,
remember that there is no time limit and no need to maintain a park rating.
The only way to win this scenario, however, is to build roller coasters. While
there is already a generous amount available, I recommend you direct research
in that area, anyway. Remember: the more expensive a coaster costs, the more
money it will produce. Try to build fairly expensive coasters, for they will
pay you back more money than a cheaper coaster. Indirectly, advertising your
park or a coaster may help to bring guests in, but don't rely on it directly.
Again, focus mainly on building coasters, and keeping them in tip-top shape.
Scenario: Bumbly Bazaar
-Objective: To achieve a monthly profit from food, drink and merchandise
sales of at least $1,000.
-Financial Report:
--Entrance Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: YES
-Strategies:
Because there are two entrances to this scenario, build "clone" rides at each
end. There is a food court at the center of the park. Leave it there; instead,
build rides and stalls so that they "show" the way to the food court.
While you are hoping to increase profit, remember it's the guests who spend the
money. In other words, the more guests you have, the more profit you're likely
to make. Therefore, advertise more often than you would in other scenarios.
Try advertising for the whole park, as you are also advertising for all the
shops/stalls in it, as well.
While this may overall fail, you could try raising prices. If guests are
rather happy in your park, chances are they won't mind paying more for
food/drinks, etc. (Build plenty of ATMs just to be safe!) If you follow all
of the listed strategies, you should emerge victorious in this scenario.
Scenario: Dusty Greens
-Objective: To achieve a monthly income from ride tickets of at least $5,000.
-Financial Report:
--Entrance Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: YES
-Strategies:
As soon as this scenario begins, purchase construction rights. You'll need
them in order to link together all the available land. It will also allow for
roller coasters, which is required if you want to beat this scenario. For
now, leave the miniature golf courses in; they are your early money-makers.
If you think you can afford it, try building a third golf course; it will
only bring in more cash! Therefore, the Miniature Golf and roller coasters
should be your primary concern, as they are your primary income-makers.
Scenario: Fungus Woods
-Objective: To have at least 2,500 guests in your park at the end of October,
Year 4, with a park rating of at least 600.
-Financial Report:
--Entrance Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
When this scenario begins, only a Merry-Go-Round is pre-built. However, if
you work fast enough, you can quickly get in some Gentle and Thrill rides, as
well.
Once you have enough cash, you should build a Wooden Coaster, preferably one
with loops and one that zigzags throughout the trees. Utilize the Log Cabin
and Wooden style of scenery, as it will stick to the scenario's theme. This
scenario, surprisingly, isn't too hard; just remember to build, maintain,
build, maintain, and so on.
Scenario: Gravity Gardens
-Objective: To repay your loan and achieve a park value of $500,000.
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
This scenario can be rather difficult, as you must focus on two goals at once!
As you pay off your loan, you must also increase your park value! In order to
handle this, use a pattern. For example, build two rides, then pay off your
loan. Build another two rides, then pay off more of your loan. This way, you
are working fast enough to maintain your increasing Park Value! As usual,
roller coasters are your money-makers, so build as many as you can. These
also rapidly increase your park value, but make sure to keep them well
maintained. Just like previous scenarios, advertise to get more people into
your park. To beat this scenario quickly, focus on paying off your loan,
building lots of coasters, and boosting attendence.
Scenario: Infernal Views
-Objective: To have at least 10 different types of roller coasters operating
in your park, each with an excitement rating of at least 6.00.
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: YES
Strangely enough, you don't even need to have your park open! All you have to
do is successfully test 10 coasters! First, though, direct more research into
the coaster category, as you don't have that many when you start off. (8 to
be exact.)
A really easy to win this scenario is to build all pre-fabricated coasters
that have a minimum excitement rating of 6.00. Or, you could design some
coasters in the Roller Coaster Designer that accomplish this goal, and simply
incorporate them into the park. (NOTE: This easy process may take some fun
away from the scenario.) I really don't have to go into too much detail for
this scenario; just get those coasters built!
EXPERT PARKS-
Scenario: Alpine Adventures
-Objective: To achieve a monthly income from ride tickets of at least $7,000.
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: YES
-Strategies:
When the scenario begins, immediately begin to expand upon the Chairlift.
This is the best Transport available for mountain climbing, so you really
shouldn't close or demolish it. Just like the similiar scenarios, roller
coasters are the key here. You must, must have them in order to win this
rather challenging scenario. Fortunately, you don't need to make as much
income as last time. Therefore, you should win this scenario faster! Good
luck!
Scenario: Extreme Heights
-Objective: To have at least 4,500 guests in your park. You must not let the
park rating drop below 700 at any time!
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
Due to the size of this park, guests will get lost. Close off any unused
paths, as every lost guests deplete the Park Rating, your most important
factor in this scenario! Because the guests of Extreme Heights prefer intense
rides, build only Thrill rides and roller coasters. Unlike most scenarios,
guests in Extreme Heights will ride your custom "death rides". Just like
Dusty Greens and Gravity Gardens, focus mainly on roller coasters. If the
park rating should ever start to deplete, quickly find out what the problem
is. If it is lost guests, close off excess paths and build Information Kiosks.
If the problem is nausea, build plenty of First Aid Stations. Whatever the
problem is, retort it with the appropriate action. As long as you can manage
to keep that Park Raing, you will eventually attract the mega amount of
4,500 guests! Way to go!
Scenarios: Ghost Town
-Objective: To have at least 10 different types of roller coasters operating
in your park, each with a minimum length of 3,937 feet and an excitement
rating of at least 7.00.
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: YES
-Strategies:
See the strategies for Alpine Adventures. Just remember to make the coasters
more exciting, and also make sure they achieve the minimum length. The
Roller Coaster Designer will be especially helpful for this scenario.
Scenario: Lucky Lake
-Objective: To have at least 2,100 guests in your park. You must not let the
park rating drop below 700 at any time!
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: NO
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
The strategies for Lucky Lake are exactly like the strategies for Extreme
Heights, although not quite as challenging. Just keep in mind one thing: not
everyone will enjoy the Mine Ride, so consider a gentler footpath or Transport.
Scenario: Rainbow Summit
-Objective: To have at least 2,500 guests in your park at the end of October,
Year 4, with a park rating of at least 600.
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
If it weren't for the height restrictions, this would be an easy scenario. As
you already know, you can't build any higher than 35 feet above the ground.
So, study the existing coaster. You many notice how it is constantly sloping
with the land. This is what you need to do, as well. Build your coasters at
the top of the mountain, then gradually slope them downward with the land.
Another easy way to build coasters is to build them underground or inside the
mountain.
Beyond coasters, this scenario is like any other. Just build other rides near
the mountain, so that guests can easily get to them. If you're up to the
challenge, try building food courts and many flat rides inside the mountain!
"REAL" PARKS-
Scenario: Six Flags Belgium
-Objective: To have at least 3,500 guests in your park at the end of October,
Year 4, with a park rating of at least 600.
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
As soon as you start the scenario, add more Restrooms. Build more footpaths
and expand on the transport system. This way, you have more room in the park,
and guests stop complaining.
Like most scenarios, just continue to build rides, especially roller coasters.
However, for every roller coaster that you build, build a Gentle or Thrill
ride, as many guests won't ride your coasters.
Once you start to build more rides and attractions, begin to advertise for the
entire park, as it will bring those last few guests you desperately need!
Scenario: Six Flags Great Adventure
-Objective: To have at least 3,000 guests in your park. You must not let the
park rating drop below 700 at any time!
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
Think of this scenario like any easier Extreme Heights with money. Your first
order of business should be to demolish the Chairlift. Instead, build a
better-quality Monorail that goes around the perimeter of the park. Also, build
some more Restrooms; it is a must! Finally, focus on building some more flat
rides; you will benefit greatly from them! As always, don't forget to advertise
the park. It will bring in those guests!
Scenario: Six Flags Holland
-Objective: To have at least 3,500 guests in your park at the end of October,
Year 4, with a park rating of at least 600.
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
The goal for this scenario is exactly the same as the goal for Six Flags
Belguim. Therefore, I don't need to go into detail. The only real difference
is the set-up; expand upon the park's massive transport system.
Scenario: Six Flags Magic Mountain
-Objective: To repay your loan and acheive a Park Value of at least $700,000.
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
The key to winning this scenario is to be rather quick. The longer it takes
for you to beat this scenario, the lower the park value gets and more debt you
take on. Yet, how are you quick? What you really have to do is increase
attendance. This way, it is easier to pay off your loan, and at the same
time, research new rides. If you can keep it up, you'll most likely pay off
your loan first, then acheive the Park Value required. This scenario is among
the hardest in the game, so just keep at it until you win!
Scenario: Six Flags over Texas
-Objective: To have at least 3,500 guests in your park. You must not let the
park rating drop below 700 at any time!
-Financial Report:
--Park Admissions: YES
--Ride Admissions: NO
-Strategies:
This fairly small park may not have much room for expansion, but it does
possess many open areas that are perfect for gentle, flat rides. To keep the
park rating high, always hire new staff, and maintain the staff that you
already own. Build new coasters once you have the money, as it will help
to drive in those guests you need to win the scenario!
'OTHER' PARKS-
The 'Other' Parks are empty, carbon copies of the Six Flags parks. Therefore,
I don't need to re-iterate on how to win them. Again, follow the same
strategies I listed, just remember that they are empty!
XI. The Roller Coaster Designer
New to the RCT universe is the Roller Coaster Designer. This is an amazing tool
that really helps you build great coasters! Simply put, it gives you a flat,
open 256x256 area to practice your skills. Plus, it gives you no distractions!
And money? What's money? This is by far the ultimate tool for coaster
construction! But, how does it work? Can you import scenery? This section deals
100% with the Roller Coaster Designer, and it gives you all the tips and tricks
you need to get familiar with it. So, let's begin!
As soon as you open the Roller Coaster Designer, you'll be given the option to
choose up to four types of roller coasters. Next, you'll be taken to the
practice area. A menu will pop up with your four coasters. Select one type.
You can choose to build a pre-fabricated coaster, but you obviously came here
to practice, so let's choose the option "BUILD CUSTOM COASTER". Now, build your
coaster like you normally would, starting with the station platform. (Or you
can start with an incline to have a raised station. See section XIII for more
details.) Once your station platform is built, you can start to build your
lift hill. For most coasters, this involves a chain lift, so make sure you
click the chain icon once you start your incline. For some coasters, though,
there are different options. For example, the Giga Coaster has a Cable Lift
Hill, and a Twister and Stand-up Twister Roller Coasters each have Launched
Lift Hills. Once the lift hill is built, you can start to construct the
trademark "first drop". Most people will make this the steepest drop on the
ride, but it doesn't have to be if you don't want it to. A very important
option to note is the different grades of drops. Depending on the type of
coaster you are using, you may be able to have slight grades, steep grades, or
even vertical grades! After choosing the one that's right for your coaster, you
can then proceed into the rest of the ride. However, there are numerous special
tracks options available. For example, most people like to put a vertical loop
in their track. Some enjoy squeezing in a Barrel Roll or two. Whatever suits you
will do. However, I recommend you put an On-Ride Photo on all your rides. Why?
It will give you extra income. (See Section IX for more details.) While it can
be fun and rewarding to have many types of special track, you must keep your eye
on the excitement, intensity, and nausea ratings. Obviously, the more special
pieces you incorporate into your design, the higher each rating gets.
One of the most important aspects of the Roller Coaster Designer is the way it
shows you vital stats. Should you make a coaster that is far too intense or too
nauseating, it will be shown in red. Anytime a stat is in red, you know that it
won't go well with your guests. While they will tolerate slight painful
experiences, you must, for the most part, change your track or sacrifice special
track pieces to fix the extreme stat. After the stat is fixed, re-test your
coaster. You will be amazed how much the excitement climbs!
After building a coaster you are happy with, you have the option of saving it.
If you do, it will appear with the rest of the pre-fabricated coasters of that
type. For example, if you save a Giga Coaster, you will find it with the pre-
fabricated Giga Coasters. You can then place it in your park like you would any
other coaster. Of course, you do have to pay for it. (Thought you were going
to get away with it:p)
Once the coaster is in your park, you can modify it even more! You can build
scenery around the ride, and then re-save the ride with the scenery! This adds
even more excitement and intensity! (Occasionally nausea, too.) However, saved
scenery does not appear in the Roller Coaster Designer.
The Roller Coaster Designer also allows you to tweak pre-fabricated coasters.
For example, you may want to experiment with what happens when one train is
switched out for another. While you can do this in your park, it is much safer
to do in the Roller Coaster Designer. Or, you may want to add a special track
element to the pre-fabricated coasters. Again, the Roller Coaster Designer is a
safe place to do it. (Plus, you make the changes free of charge!)
So, next time you want to build the world's most intense coaster, you now the
perfect place to do it! The Roller Coaster Designer!
XII. The Scenario Editor
Are you the true tycoon? Did you blow through the scenarios like you owned them?
Well, how would you like to be the creator of your own scenario? True good to
be true? No, it's true! It's called the Scenario Editor, and in only a few
minutes, you'll have the world's greatest scenario! Let's now take a closer
look at this powerful tool...
As soon as you start the Scenario Editor, you must choose what's available. You
can choose 128 rides and attractions. There are no restrictions; any ride may
be chosen. After making your choices, you can then proceed to choose what shops
and stalls are available. After choosing there, you proceed to the Invention
List, or the menu that allows you to choose what must be researched. You can
make everything available from the start, or make most rides and attractions
available only through research! Whatever you decide, it's all good! After
setting up the Invention List, you then proceed to the Landscape Editor. You
can choose three styles for the park entrance, you can choose three colors of
water, and, of course, you set up your park's boundaries! Before you attempt to
build that 256x256 monster, though, remember this: THERE IS NO "SANDBOX"!
Anyhoo, you decide whether your park will own all the land between its
boundaries, or if some land must be purchased, or acquired via construction
rights. After setting up the boundaries, you must then create the entrance
path. To do that, set the arrows so they go AWAY from the park entrance. And,
on the subject of paths, you can choose from nine different types. You may
prefer to have a park by a highway, or have a highway that is between a park!
You may prefer to have a mountainous park with dirt paths, or have a park
within a valley, featuring space-age foothpaths! The Landscape Editor, combined
with the footpats, allows you to do all of this! Once the park is set up, you
then proceed to the financial menus. You decide if your park will use money or
not, and you also decide how much of a loan is available. In addition to the
loan, you can also choose the rate of interest. Finally, you choose the starting
COH, or the amount of debt. After setting up the financial objective, you
proceed to the guests' tab. In this tab, you decide how much money each guest
enters with, and whether or not they prefer intense rides. (NOTE: This option
affects the scenario. Should guests prefer less intense rides, stick with Gentle
Rides. Should they prefer more intense rides, then roller coasters are your
bag!) Finally, the overall objective of the scenario must be set. If money is
allowed, then you have the option of choosing objectives that involve park
value, ride income, or overall financial upstanding. If money is not allowed,
then you have the option of choosing ojectives that involves having a certain
number of guests with a minimal park rating, or having a certain number of
coasters with a minimum length or minimum excitement rating.
Once everything you need for the scenario is set up, you can give it a name and
save it! After you save it, you must classify it as one of the following:
Beginner, Challenging, Expert, or Other. After doing this, go back to the main
menu and click on the appropriate tab. Your custom scenario should be there, and
you can play it! Plus, you can upload it to www.rollercoastertycoon2.com! If you
do, you benefit from it being rated, or being downloaded from other users! Or,
you can challenge your friends to the scenario! Not only is this fun to do,
but you can even learn valuable skills from them!
So, you have built the world's greatest scenario, right? Good job! Well, now you
know; for custom scenarios, nothing beats the Scenario Editor!
XIII. Advanced Building Techniques
Okay, your park may be functioning well, and you may have some great coasters,
but really; isn't it nice to try something more advanced? Advanced building
techniques, that is! This section focuses on some ways to deal with congestion,
vandalism and crashes. You'll also learn once and for all how to get that
station platform in the air! And, for the less-guilty at heart, you'll learn
how to REALLY deal with those vandals! And, for those who really want their
guests to see the park, you'll learn how to build a "Sky Tower'! So, let's
take a look at some of those advanced techniques!
DEALING WITH CONGESTION
Despite your excellent footpath system, guests will complain of being smushed
between other guests. Those guests become angry guests, and angry guests resort
to vandalism, which brings your whole park rating down. So, how do you possibly
deal with this nightmare congestion?
The best thing to do is plan ahead. From the very start, make every path a
MINIMUM of two units wide, and wider if that path is a "main path". That way,
guests will always have plenty of room to walk. However, as your park gets more
publicity, the footpaths will still prove to be too small. At this point, you
want to widen all paths by at least two units, and wider if the occasion calls
for it. However, you also want to lighten the traffic on your footpaths. This
is where Transport Rides become your biggest investment. Again, plan ahead.
From the start of your park, have a small Monorail or Chairlift operating at
Shuttle Mode. Not only will this encourage guests to take a break from walking,
it also gives you income that you will need early on. As the footpaths get
bombarded from guests, add more stations to the Monorail or Chairlift. If at all
possible, try to make a complete circuit that goes around the outer perimeter of
your park. While it is more expensive, you can switch to Continuous Circuit
mode, which adds more trains. More trains equal more people on the ride. More
people on the ride equals less people on the paths. Also, more people on the
ride equal more income!
Soon, even your Monorail and Chairlift will get overloaded. At this point, you
may want to consider a second Monorail or Chairlift line. Or, if you are willing
to sacrifice park rating, make an Elevator. Why would you want to make an
Elevator? By creating a "Sky Tower", you can get some guests off both the paths
and Transport Rides. You may remember I said that you will sacrifice park
rating. That's because a "Sky Tower" traps guests and makes them mad.
By following the strategies listed above, you will stay ahead of any major
congestion problems!
DEALING WITH VANDALISM
Face it; it happens. It happens in every park, and it will happen to you! I am
talking about vandalism, which is single-handedly the most frustrating thing
in RCT2! It seems for no reason, guests like to destroy your benches and litter
bins. Vandalism ruins the park's reputation, and makes everyone who sees it
angry. That only leads to more vandalism. As the park manager, how will you
combat this?
As you may have noticed, most vandalism starts with litter. And where does
litter most commonly collect? If you said food areas, you're correct. So, one
way to combat vandalism is to create food courts. Not only will you cut down
on the litter, but you will stop vandalism in its first stage. But having one
Handyman and Security Guard on patrol, vandals had better beware!
But vandalism doesn't only occur at food areas. Vandalism can also occur when
there are long, empty paths. Bored or tired guests soon become vandals.
Therefore, NEVER make "empty" paths, and NEVER make the distance between
attractions extremely long. If possible, try to have something at every corner.
For example, have a ride on one side, and shops and stalls on the other. By
having guest pre-occupied, they are less likely to entertain themselves by
being vandals.
Vandalism also occurs in an area most people don't think about: the queue line.
You may notice that the queue lines are sometimes filled with angry guests. To
help prevent this unneeded vandals-in-the-making crowd, always put queue TVs in
your line, even if you think you don't need it. This also allows you to beef up
the queue line, as guests won't get bored as often.
Another easy-to-miss section of vandalism occurs in the "Sky Tower". By having
only one way to get out, these often crowded areas make plenty of vandals. To
prevent this, try to make your "Sky Tower" as wide as possible, and always have
Handymen and Security Guards patrolled up there. Also, put TVs on every queue
unit, as the Elevator line is always packed!
Hopefully, these strategies will help you combat vandalism. On a final note,
remember to have plenty of Information Kiosks and Restrooms. These little
nuisances can quickly erupt into major vandalism.
DEALING WITH CRASHES
No matter how many safety precautions your ride has, it will, sadly, crash at
one point or another. However, there are ways to delay the unfortuante
certainty.
First, always have a minimum of three brakes before the station. Make the brakes
nearest to the station slow the train to 9 MPH, then set the outer ones to 13
MPH and 18 MPH, repectively. And before these set of brakes, you should have at
least two to three block brakes. Not only will this allow you more trains, it
stops the proceeding train so the one in front of it can get into the station
safely.
Another unspoken rule: Always have Mechanics inspect a coaster every 10 minutes.
Not only will this prevent crashes, Mechanics will also upgrade and fix worn
brakes.
NEVER, NEVER put a large drop before a station. Block brakes and even brakes
often can't stop a train quick enough so that it gets into the station safely.
While on occasion the trains get in safely, it is far too much of a gamble.
If you are building a rather lengthy coaster, try putting brakes halfway through
the ride. Not only will this lower the intensity a little, it gives the train in
front a farther lead, which delays the probability of a crash even more!
If possible, try putting an incline in front of the station. This is often as
good as a set of brakes, and it reduces the ride's running costs!
When your coaster does crash, unfortunately, there are ways to get guests to
stay on it. First, repaint the entire ride. Second, change the trains that run
on the track. If your lucky, this step may actually add excitement! And, if it
makes you feel at ease, rename the ride. While guests will eventually forget
all about the crash, these steps make guests get back on quicker.
By now, you should have a good idea of how to prevent crashes. While they will
happen eventually, these steps will make that probability farther and farther
away!
BUILDING RAISED STATION PLATFORMS
Sometimes, you will want a coaster to be built completely above ground. However,
getting a station platform up there will be quite the task. Unless, of course,
you're reading this FAQ...
The first way to get a raised station platform is to raise the ground to the
desired height. After constructing the now raised station platform, simply
lower the ground, and no one will ever know you raised it...
The second way to get a raised station platform is to start construction
with an incline. After reaching the desired height, switch construction to the
station platform. Once the now raised station platform is built, go back and
demolish the incline.
A simple way to get a pre-fabricated ride raised is to build part of it on a
high hill or building. That way, you don't waste any extra money building extra
track or raising the ground.
NOTE: FOR THE HEARTLESS ONLY! (DEALING WITH THE VANDALS)
Let's face it; sometimes, you want to take out your frustration on the peeps.
And I can't blame you. You work hard to build a park, and all they do is trash
it and complain. Well, for the truly heartless, there is a way to truly stop
that unforgiving vandalism. Note, however, that it will really stiff your park
rating. If you still want to do it, though, here goes...
In an empty area of your park, make a footpath area about 5x5 units wide. Then,
place nothing but benches on each unit. Finally, scroll through the guest list.
Anytime you find a guest who is red in the face, click on them. These guests are
vandals, or will commit vandalism very soon. After clicking on them, use the
pincers button and move them to the newly-created area. Let them break a bench,
then check their faces. You will notice a BIG difference; they will be happy.
From there, move them back into the crowd.
You may notice that I mentioned this is for the heartless only. Well, some
guests will get happy only to be miserable again. Again, they will become
vandals. To prevent this, simply leave the guests in that area, which is really
a "jail". As ironic as it sounds, only half of the guests you put into the
"jail" are really worthy to be brought back to the crowd. So, by simply leaving
them there, they can only hurt what is in the "jail". And, once nothing is left,
they are stuck to regret their bad actions. However, the park rating will
plummet because of this. Again, you must be heartless to perform this correctly!
BUILDING A "SKY TOWER"
I have mentioned the term "Sky Tower" several times now, but most likely, you
have no clue what I am talking about. Well, you will finally learn not only
what it is, but how it is built!
First of all, a "Sky Tower" is an area that is only accessible through the
Elevator transportation ride. It is often the fourth station, which is the
highest station on the Elevator. A "Sky Tower" is a small area that gives
guests great views of your park, but it also provides shops and stalls. It is
basically a small food court, but much more complex. A "Sky Tower" is one-way,
and it often leads to anger and vandalism. If pulled off correctly, however, a
"Sky Tower" can be a great addition to any park. Plus, it gives you extra
income!
So, how do you build one? Obviously, you must first start with the Elevator.
Build it like any other Transport Ride, but always save the fourth station for
the "Sky Tower". Once you finally get to it, first construct the exit path.
After you make that, make the entrance queue. Then, construct a small path
that winds around the entire Elevator, encompassing both the entrance and exit
paths. Once you do all that, widen the path by about three to four units. Place
shops and stalls around the path, and also place Restrooms and Information
Kiosks. Finally, place benches and litter bins, like you were constructing
a food court. Then, open the Elevator. Remember to hire Handymen and Security
Guards to work up there. The "Sky Tower" is a hidden vandalism center, and
having just one Security Guard makes all the difference in the world. If done
correctly, the "Sky Tower" will become a popular area of your park. Not only
will it lighten the load on your footpaths, it give you income you otherwise
wouldn't have; you can charge for the Elevator, shops and stalls!
As successful as this little area can be, never make an Elevator just for the
"Sky Tower". Ironically, guests won't pay just to get to the "Sky Tower". Make
sure the "Sky Tower" is always the final destination on the Elevator, not the
only destination.
BONUS STRATEGY!!
While building coasters in the air can be a great benefit, so can building
coasters completely underground! To do it, start with a station platform
above ground. Then, tunnel underground and build your coaster like normal.
Once the coaster is complete, simply delete the station platform, and rebuild
it underground! Not only will this save space, but it will add excitement and
intensity!
Well, there you have it. The advanced strategies. While planning ahead is
always good, remember these strategies are for a "mature" park. Also, make
sure you know what you are doing before attempting any of these strategies.
XIV. Easter Eggs
No, not the holiday:) "Easter Eggs" refers to little tricks that are in the
game, but don't help you in any way. Below are some fun tricks you may want to
try:
RENAME A GUEST "CHRIS SAWYER"
The guest will often stop to take pictures of your park and rides.
RENAME A GUEST "SIMON FOSTER"
The guest will often stop to paint potraits of your park and rides.
RENAME A GUEST "MELANIE WARN"
The guest becomes very, very happy and spends an excess amount of money.
RENAME A GUEST "KATIE BRAYSHAW"
The guest will often stop to wave at other guests, which raises happiness.
RENAME A GUEST "JOHN WARDLEY"
The guest will often think 'WOW!' while riding your rides.
RENAME A GUEST "DAMON HILL"
The guest will drive twice as fast on the Go-Karts
RENAME A GUEST "MR. BEAN"
The guest will drive twice as slow on the Go-Karts
RENAME A GUEST "TONY DAY"
The guest is frequently hungry, and buys lots of hamburgers.
RENAME A GUEST "DAVID ELLIS"
The guest says 'And here we are on ___'.
"TRUE" EASTER EGGS: TRAINERS
For those who feel they must cheat in this game, you can download trainers.
Trainers are tools that give you things like infinite money, instant scenario
clarification, all rides and attractions, and other things. I don't recommend
you use them, as it can not only freeze up your game, but it also robs you of
the fun and skills that RCT2 gives you so freely. Nevertheless, if you feel
you need or want one, go ahead and download one. I can't give you the
websites, however, so contact me via e-mail if you want to know where to find
them. Again, only use it as a last resort or a way to make a "sandbox".
"TRUE" EASTER EGGS: NEGATIVE MONEY
As good as RCT2 is, it does have its share of great glitches. One of them gives
you free money! To do it, you will need to have the Mechanical Style scenery
available. Once it is, make a 4x4 platform of metal blocks. Then, stack it so
it is 4x4 high. Then, build a Gentle or Thrill ride. You may notice it will
cost you negative money to build. Well, this negative money goes directly into
your COH, which means you make money! Plus, the more expensive the ride is, the
more money you make! So, next time you are short on cash, give this a shot!
"TRUE" EASTER EGGS: ULTRA-EXTREME EXCITEMENT
The more excitement a ride has, the more popular it will be. So, naturally, any
tactics to get a ride exciting is well invited, right? Well, if it is, you'll be
glad to know there is a simple way to get the Inverted Impulse Roller Coaster
ultra-extreme in the excitement department! (650.00 to be exact!) Here's how
you do it:
1. After building the station platform, build the first vertical incline about
170 ft. tall. After that, drop it back down.
2. Go back to the station platform, and begin to build the other way. However,
make the first vertical incline 175 ft. tall.
3. Now, add a second vertical incline on each side to its maximum height.
4. If done correctly, the coaster should have a 'M' shape. Set the launch
speed to 74 MPH, and make the number of circuits 7. Test the ride.
5. When the results come in, the excitement should be 650.00! (Or higher!)
6. Open the ride!
Note, however, that if you save this ride, the excitement drops way down to only
14.75. Not a bad trade-off, however...
XV. Downloads
There are many sites that allow you to download custom parks, rides, and
scenery. Depending on what you are looking for, different sites will be more
useful than others. However, due to legal reasons, I can't give you any direct
links. If, however, you visit the official RCT2 website, you may just find some
good downloads...
At the official RCT2 website, you will find the Ride Exchange. Thousands of
talented ride designers dump their rides here. Obviously, you can download
these. Because most of them are themeless and high in excitement, they should
easily complement your park! Currently, I am not a member of the Ride Exchange.
Right now, all my parks and tracks are available exclusively at my website.
[NOTE: Two new add-ons for RCT2 are available. See the Recent News section for
more info.]
If you would like to download any of my parks or rides, you can do so at my
official website: http://www.geocities.com/plasmadragonx7000! (Please note that
I am working on my website and nothing is on it yet.)
XVI. Recent News
-------------
WACKY WORLDS
-------------
The first expansion pack for RCT2, Wacky Worlds is now available at most
electronic stores. If you are a fan of RCT2, you will definately want to pick
this one up. It gives you hundreds of new scenery implements.
-------------
PINK WATER
-------------
Chris Sawyer has recently developed a 'pink water' download for RCT2. Get it at
the official RCT2 website, http://www.rollercoastertycoon2.com
-------------
PANDA WORLD
-------------
Chris Sawyer has also recently developed a new scenario download for RCT2. Just
like the 'pink water', you can get the Panda World scenario exclusively at
the official RCT2 website.
-------------
VINTAGE PARKS
-------------
If you would like to download some of the older scenarios from RCT, you can do
so at the official RCT2 website, and from several fan-based RCT2 websites.
You can download everything from Ivory Towers to a modified Mega Park. And the
special roller coaster package that Chris Sawyer created will still work in
RCT2.
-------------
EXPANSION 2
-------------
Infogrames has announced the second expansion pack for RCT2 to be released on
October 22, 2003. Judging by the fact Wacky Worlds enhanced scenery, I'm
guessing this one will enhance rides. More information will be added as more
becomes available.
-------------
RCT2: Time Twister
-------------
More information has been released! The new RCT2 expansion will be called Time
Twister.
It will be released on 10/22/03. As of now, it is not known what will be
new/featured,
although it sounds like more emphasis on scenery, specifically key points in
time, such
as the Middle Ages and the Enlightenment. NOTE: Before you read any further,
read this! I am getting several e-mails a
week regarding as to what exactly the 4D Coaster is. The official name of the
4D Coaster is the Multi-Dimension Roller Coaster. I use the term '4D' simply
because I'm more comfortable with it. With that out of the way, let's move
on...
-------------
Possible new management?
-------------
As some of you may know, Atari (yes, that Atari) has recently bought
Infogrames. Therefore,
Time Twister may possibly be distributed by Atari. While this really won't
matter in the long
run, it is refreshing to know that there may be new management on the horizon.
XVII. Version History
v1.17A 10/19/03- changed web address
- edited a few spelling mistakes
v1.15A 8/18/03- updates have returned!
- added new information to the Recent News section
- added more "vital" information to the FAQ
- "hopefully" ended the infamous "What's a 4D Coaster?" e-mails
- more updates coming soon
v1.12A 6/17/03- expanded the Copyrights section
- added onto the Recent News section
- v1.00B is coming soon!
- added RCT2 ASCII art
v1.00A 6/10/03- finished my FAQ
- finished section IX of the FAQ [RCT2: The Finances]
- created new "Recent News" section
- added new website address
- added on to section XVI, Downloads
- added on to the QuickQuestion section
- added on to the Copyrights section
v.96 3/13/03- finished 95% of my FAQ
- finished section V of the FAQ [RCT2: The Shops and Stalls]
- added to the Copyrights section
- added to the QuickQuestions section
- added to the Recognition section
v.90 3/9/03- finished 90% of my FAQ
- finished section III of the FAQ [RCT2: The Rides]
- added section XV, Downloads, to my FAQ
v.80 2/4/03- finished 80% of my FAQ
- finished section X of the FAQ [Scenario Walkthrough]
v.70 1/27/03- finished 70% of my FAQ
XVIII. Recognition
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks to the following corporations:
Chris Sawyer
Infogrames
Microsoft
Prima Guides
GameFAQs
TycoonPlanet
RCTstation
Yahoo! GeoCities
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks to the following people:
Chris Sawyer
John Wardley
CJayC
Bill Gates
Daniel Cromar
Zak Pierce
DSimpson
JChaimberlain
Chewy
Starscreamer
Stealth
BCigan
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And Special Thanks to:
Everyone at the RCT2+RCT2:WW GameFAQs board!
All the people reading this FAQ! [That means you!]
____________________________________________________________________________
Well, now that your a pro at RCT2, why not go play it? It's now your turn
to get out there and entertain those guests! RCT2=The Best!!
