ALL ABOUT TYCOON
This is the LICENCEWARE Playable version of Tycoon from
the new software house FILTHY RICH SOFTWARE. The playing aims in
our games is to make money and loads of it. Various scenarios are
planned but the first one is aptly called Tycoon and is based
around the idea of Exploration and Mining. I hope this will be the
first in a very long line of its type which are severely lacking
from the ST and 16 Bit scene.
This is obviously a slightly cut down version of what has been
planned. Some text input options will be replaced later with
graphical ones.
This game will only lasts 30 rounds but in the real thing it
can be restricted from 100 to 400 in steps of 100. Alternatively
you could have an endless game (4 Rounds equal one year).
In the final version 6 players will be allowed and this can
consist of any number of human and Computer players (ranging in
ability from 'Dimwit Barnes' to 'Devious JR Ewing')
No sea searhes have been included because this will take effect
randomly after 10+ years. At present it is just treated the same
as land and you can mine it.
A simple help facility will also be implemented.
There will simply be no other STRATEGY game like it.
INSTRUCTIONS TO PLAY
I have already set up the data required to play so the data will
be automatically loaded and place you at the MAIN MENU.
At the Main Menu there are several options. I will go through
them in detail below but first the major objectives of this game.
1. To explore and find Minerals.
2. To build a transport link from the field to a port. (A field is
classed as the mining position given)
3. To build a mine on the field.
4. Sell the extracted minerals for the most money possible.
Simple, but there are some important twists to the game which add
the necessary sparkle so we don't bore you to death.
I will now explain the various options available to play the game
while giving you some idea of the devious ploys I have to make you
think hard about what to do next, when things don't go according
to plan.
I will ignore RETURN options as these simply return you to the
Main Menu without doing anything.
Most other messages which appear throughout the game should be
clear enough as to not need explaination. Like 'Do you wish to
Cancel Previous Search?'
All options printed at the bottom right in a white require you to
PRESS RIGHT KEY ON MOUSE
This will hopefully not be the case in the full version but you'll
get use to it.
1. EXPLORE - 4 options
Select any of these options and you will have a block controlled
by the mouse this will select the search zone. Simply click left
to place it where you wish to explore. You will be given a zoomed
view of the site. (Test Drill will further ask you to specify a
site to drill)
Here's an idea of the full version results.
a. AERIAL - An aerial survey is the most basic and would just give
you a very unreliable break down of whether any minerals in this
area would be magnetic (Iron and Nickel), Radioactive (Uranium) or
other (all remaining). Also watch for River Deposits.
b. SOIL - A ground survey which will give you a more accurate view
of any Surface Minerals present. Some small traces of Deep
may appear but it's terribly unreliable. Full keys of colours are
displayed and you have to think about what is possibly there on
this display.
c. GRAVI. - Gravimetric for short. This is a survey searching for
density of the rocks/minerals below. eg. Hard( Lead and Uranium)
This type of search is for deep minerals larger potential fields
but they are more expensive to get at.
a to c. - All survey results are printed at the beginning of your
next turn. Further investigation should only be required on
clusters of matching colours. Single dots are probably anomolies
which the surveying equipment has suspected. It is highly
unlikely single dots will be mineral deposits.
d. TEST DRILL - If you suspect a field site at a location you have
surveyed then you MUST test drill it to actually claim and verify
the assumption is correct. Care must be taken to locate the test
drill on the correct spot. A small extension of the test drill area
is tested. Once you have found such a site it is yours and
no-one else can extract from it. Note your mine number as it will
be needed later. (If you forget see MINE - SHOW).
You will only be allowed one search of each type.
All surveys will show shades of colours which represent quality.
This is a very important factor because everyone has their own
limits to what they can mine. (Look under Status) This is randomly
decided when you create a NEW game (this version is set). It is
fairly easy to comprehend. If you find some IRON and its
quality is 10% you will only be able to mine it if your own rating
in IRON is equal or below 10. If your rating is greater I am
afraid your company does not have the technical knowhow on how to
extract that deposit economically. So the lower your ratings in
minerals the better, I think Specialisation better describes it.
Again in this version all finds are set at 50 to 80% so you are
more than likely be able to mine anything found. Shading will be
in 4 categories 1 to 20, 21 to 40, 41 to 60 and 61+
Quotas will play a role in any find and this time the higher the
rating the greater possibility of a country accepting your
products to be imported to their fair lands. However, prices could
be better elsewhere and you are well advised to try them first.
2. MINE - 6 options
All these options are related the mines and those already opened.
a. SHOW - Will go through all the mines you have discovered and
tell you all about them.
b. OPEN - Use it to re-open a closed mine if price increases to
make it economically viable to extract again.
c. CLOSE - Used to close a mine if price drops too low and makes
the mine inefficient.
d. # PROD. - Abbreviated for change Production Rate. You can vary
this at any time for any reason to change production from 30 to
100 in steps of 10.
e. # MARKET - If prices change favourably elsewhere then we
suggest you change to the better market if you are accepted.
f. # ROUTE - This will no longer be used.
3. BUILD - 5 options
a. ROAD - To create a link between the field and port. This must
be done before building a mine. Otherwise how could you get all
that heavy equipment for the mine to the site. This is going to be
graphically represented in the full version.
b. PIPELINE - It will be the same as road for OIL RIGS.
c. PORT - Not yet implemented. An expensive process but you can
build your own PORT.
d. STORAGE - Not yet implemented. A place to store minerals until
a favourable price comes along or to influence price by massively
selling to force prices down and kill an opponents potential gain.
e. MINE - To Build a mine on a field with a transport link.
4. SHARES - 4 options
You will immediately be shown a display with all shares available
and prices. Where RED lettering is used means the company share
has been suspended. When suspected you can not buy stock because
it has been taken over by a player. However, you can sell anything
you hold to the party who is now the owner. This can be done at
any time and could be used to financially squeeze another company
who is forced to buy the stock.
a. HOLDINGS - Your present shares owned by % in each company
b. INFO - Will cost you $100,000 to find out who owns what
percentage in a specific comapny. Along with est. Earnings and
which country it orginates from.
When new companies come to the market details will vary slightly.
c. BUY - To buy shares in a company.
d. SELL - You will be immediately shown the exact number owned by
your company and then asked for the number to sell.
* Take over rules will loosely follow the London Stock Exchanges *
At 5, 15 and 30% you declare your interest in a company and as you
near the 50% take over find it more difficult to buy shares in
that company.
Completely new companies will occasional term up with benefits of
great interest to certain companies. ie. a specialist in Copper may
offer 10% off your mining ratio while its good relations with
JAPAN may add 15% to your quota limit. It is up to you to find out
such details by using the INFO.
5. PRICES - Select the mineral and see all prices in all
countries.
6. STATUS - See all your own Quotas and Quality Mining Ratings.
7. NEXT - When you've finished all your searching and changes
select this to move on to the next player. First see your
expenditure and income then at the beginning of your next go you
will be shown the results of your own searches so you can act upon
them.
8. PRINTER - Limited details will be printed out if this option is
on. The full version will allow full printouts on key or
automatically printed according to further options you can set up
and save.
9. FILE - 4 options
All disabled except QUIT.
a. LOAD - Load a saved data file.
b. SAVE - Save present data
c. NEW GAME - Create a new game
d. QUIT - Exit the program.
This program is a completely new concept in software Entertainment
and I would like to hear your views on this idea that I have
already spent a lot of time working on. Please take a little of
your own time writing to tell me your views good or bad.
If you do write you are under no obligation to purchase the
finished product.
Expect the full version some time in September 1989
If you have any suggestions or points to make then please feel
free to jot these points down and I will consider them for the
full version which I am now completing.