| Tropico | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | PopTop Software |
| Publisher(s) | Gathering of Developers (Windows) MacSoft/Feral Interactive (Mac) |
| Designer(s) | Phil Steinmeyer |
| Series | Tropico |
| Engine | S3D |
| Version | 1.07 (original game) 1.53 (Paradise Island expansion)[1] |
| Platform(s) | Windows 95/98/2000/ME/NT4, Mac OS 9/Mac OS X |
| Release date(s) |
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| Genre(s) | Construction and management simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | |
| Media/distribution | 2 CD |
| System requirements | |
Tropico is a series of construction and management simulation computer games developed by PopTop Software and published by Gathering of Developers in April 2001.[2] The games see the player taking the role of "El Presidente," the ruler of an island in the Caribbean during the Cold War era from the 1950s onward.
The game is tongue-in-cheek in its presentation of banana republics, using a great deal of humor while still referencing such topics as totalitarianism, electoral fraud, and the interventions of powerful companies (United Fruit is implied) and the Cold War superpowers (the United States and Soviet Union).
Tropico features Latin-styled Dominican music, largely performed by Daniel Indart. The game won the Original Music Composition category in the 2002 Interactive Achievement Awards.
Tropico has several expansion packs and new editions, including Tropico: Paradise Island, plus a combined copy of the original and Paradise Island entitled Tropico: Mucho Macho Edition (released on June 27, 2002). A sequel, Tropico 2: Pirate Cove, was released on April 8, 2003. The third game in the series Tropico 3, was released in the autumn of 2009.[3]
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Regardless of any other stated victory condition, the main goal of any Tropico game is to stay in power–if the island's populace disapprove of the player's actions, they may vote their leader out of office, or even stage a coup d'état. If either of the Cold War superpowers becomes unhappy with the player's regime, it may launch an invasion to overthrow it. A successful leader will have to either meet the needs of the populace and the wider political world, or establish and police a totalitarian military dictatorship.
In random map games, the player can customize the map of the island, adjusting its size and steepness to personal preference. Many other aspects of gameplay, such as political and economic difficulty, can also be customized to make the game easier or more difficult.
The player is able to issue a number of governmental edicts, some of which require funding or the availability of particular buildings. Edicts are used to achieve various game effects, from appeasing one of the superpowers by openly praising them, to instating martial law or giving a tax break to the populace.[4]
The game calculates a score for the player at the end of the game. This score is based on a variety of factors, including the happiness of the island's citizens, the health of the island's economy, how much money the player has set aside for his own retirement in a Swiss bank account, and the level of difficulty chosen at the start of the game.
Tropico can be played in two different gameplay modes: scenario or custom game/random map:
The game also includes a tutorial level, which teaches the player the game mechanics and controls of the game.
While "El Presidente" has absolute rule over the lives of the Tropican people, politics play an important role in gameplay. The player must decide whether to hold free elections, attempt to manipulate the election by intimidating voters, or to reject democracy and run the island as a dictatorship. These decisions will have direct effects on the Tropican people's happiness, liberty, and respect for the leader. Often the player is judged on "democracy expectations" versus "democracy results," which will influence the public's opinion of their leadership.
Certain decisions while playing the game can boost or decrease relations with the super powering countries. If "El Presidente" manages to stay in positive view of Russia and the United States they will supply him with monthly supply of foreign aid money. Through the edicts it is possible to either create a military base on your island of one of the countries protecting your island from the other country and a monthly payment of money. If an army base is established the country may ask for specific tasks and if their satisfaction with you becomes too low they will overthrow "El Presidente."
If pushed enough the Tropican people may choose to rebel against "El Presidente", conducting guerilla attacks against various buildings on the island; if the rebellion grows strong enough this will result in the overthrow of the player. A sufficiently dissatisfied military are likely to instigate a coup. Often threats to power can be measured based on a unit's leadership qualities and his courage. For example, a citizen with poor leadership but strong courage may not be likely to start a rebellion, but may be willing to join it.
Most Tropicans are aligned into several conflicting political factions, with some citizens being a member of one or more such factions. The following is a list of the factions and their general demands:
Factions can be manipulated both positively and negatively mainly through edicts and buildings. For example, the player may choose to bribe the leaders of factions to attempt to curry their favor or, if the factions' leaders become too much of a threat, he can have them assassinated or imprisoned. The island's media outlets can be directed to distribute propaganda for a particular faction, and schools can be either parochial or military in nature.
Before starting a custom game, the player may either design their own "El Presidente" character or select one from a list of pre-made leaders. These include real-life figures such as Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, and Augusto Pinochet, fictional rulers such as Hernando Blanco and Sancho Baraega, as well as miscellaneous rulers and even musician Lou Bega.
After the player has chosen a leader, the player can customize their profile by specifying the strengths and flaws of their character's personality, the means by which they came into power and their social background. These choices affect the attitudes of factions and superpowers towards the player, and can also alter the costs or consequences of in-game actions.
The following lists real figures featured in Tropico, most of whom are associated with Latin American politics during the Cold War:
Lou Bega, who is a pop musician commonly known at the time for the song "Mambo No. 5," is also available as a dictator persona. He was included as part of a licensing deal that also saw one of Bega's songs integrated into the German release of Tropico.[5]
On September 24, 2009, German publisher Kalypso Media released Tropico 3 developed by Haemimont Games after acquiring the Tropico license rights from Take Two on November 3, 2008. An American version followed on October 20, 2009, and then the game was subsequently released for Xbox 360 on February 16, 2010.
On February 1, 2011, Kalypso Media announced Tropico 4.[6] During the Game Developers Conference, on March 3, Kalypso Media announced that the release of the game would be delayed for Xbox 360 and PC. [6] The PC version will include Social Network compatibility. There will be several new buildings (Including 'Stock Exchange' and 'Shopping Mall') 20 new missions, 10 new maps, and improved graphics. [7] During GDC Kalypso Media announced that the game will release in August 2011 along with a teaser trailer.[6]
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