Worms / Bracknell / Baltimore 2nd July 2009

Kalypso Media today releases the second part of the three part interview with the developers of TROPICO 3. In the 15 Q&As the developers reveal detailed information about the political system, El Presidente’s secret police and the tourism system.


1. ElHoneyBadger (International), nickframpton (International):

Q: Will you be able to directly control "El Presidente" in the game, move around the island and talk to people? Will you be able to see the island through the eyes of your president or individual residents?

A: Yes, you are able to control directly El Presidente and make him interact with people and buildings on the island - for example you may send him calm down a protest, rush a construction, or decorate a general with a medal. He is also able to address the people from the balcony of his palace.

In most similar games you usually watch the maps from far above, rarely zooming down to street level. From a gameplay point of view this is practical, but you tend to miss all the cool little details that take place at street level. So, in addition to the normal game camera, we are preparing a street-level view that tracks individual units like El Presidente or a selected citizen in a close and personal third-person view. It is not exactly "through the eyes" of the unit, but it comes pretty close.


2. Ulf (German):

Q: Will the president have a staff of advisors to help him make the right decisions?

A: El Presidente is a man that likes to keep the power in his own hands and do things by himself and will continue to do so for now. We seriously considered having a cabinet of ministers or appointing particular citizens at key positions. Following this train of thought we generated a ton of ideas, but in the end we decided that they would shift the focus of the game too much - while the concept for a cabinet of advisors is a cool one, we would like to keep it in our drawer for now.


3. cccp232 (International):

Q: Will a player's chosen background/rise to power/etc. play a greater role in this game?

A: You are still able to customize the background of El Presidente, the way he seized power, his qualities and flaws.
The impact of these decisions is roughly the same as it was in Tropico 1 and Paradise Island, but the number of available options is greater than those in Tropico and its expansion combined.


4. DJ1337 (International), Buddy3101 (Germany):

Q: Will you be able to peacefully rule your island without ever using intimidation, suppression or violence and if so, what will your options be?

A: You mean that you want to be a politician that is neither corrupt, nor authoritarian, and cares for the wellbeing of his people above all else... Now that wouldn't be very realistic, would it?

Luckily for you, this is only a computer game, where even politicians can be honest, so you are welcome to try to build your very own Tropican utopia. If you manage to keep your people happy, there will be no rebels and coups, and probably everyone will respect you a little higher because you never play "dirty". The people would be happy that they finally have found a leader that truly cares about their interests. Keep this thought in mind when you end up in the boat to Florida with an empty briefcase and no money in your Swiss Bank account.


5. Buddy3101 (German):

Q: Which consequences will the chosen politic system (communism, democracy) have for the player?

A: This is not a straightforward black vs. white decision - El Presidente is a cunning politician and is able to balance between democracy and communism, or even pursue them both at the same time. A ruler leaning more towards the ideology of communism will have better relationships with the USSR and the Communist faction, while a democratic society will strengthen the relationship with the US.


6. ElHoneyBadger (International):

Q: Has a lot of thought been given to the kinds of "moral choices" players will need to make as they run their islands? Will this be a fundamental part of the game, with real consequences?

A: We believe that the moral choices are important for the game. However, Tropico is based on humor as well as on moral values and it is not the best education for democracy or morality in politics.

Let's say you make an election promise to build a cathedral or to provide housing for the homeless. The promise will win you some voters, but it is up to you whether to keep this promise or not. If you don't deliver on it, the same people will vote against you on the next elections.

There are many other moral choices - every "dirty" tactic such as election fraud or assassination of inconvenient citizens brings some kind of consequences that you have to deal with.


7. ElHoneyBadger (International):

Q: Will espionage be a part of the game? Will there be several government agencies (examples from the US: FBI, CIA, NSA, Secret Service, Homeland Security, etc?) How much control will we have over the island's government and law enforcement agencies? What kinds of crimes will take place? How will organized crime, illegal drugs and other illicit activities be handled? How about corruption?

A: If your foreign relations take turn for the worse, US and USSR spies will start various subversive activities on Tropican soil. Your own Secret Police will counter these actions, as well as some Rebel activities.

The player has top-level control over the island government and law enforcement agencies - he can set their work mode and issue various edicts about them, but is not able to micromanage every action of every policeman. He also decides the course of action in a crisis situation, for example - what to do during a Bomb Threat.

Illegal drugs are not present in the standard campaign. There are several "corrupt" actions you can use, such as election fraud and leeching money from the treasury to your Swiss Bank account. Corruption and organized crime are present as themes in some missions. Furthermore, players are welcome to make and share any kind of scenarios using the Timeline Editor.


8. dav90 (German):

Q: Will there be other factions like pirates, smugglers, thieves or guerillas in the game? Will there be sea fights?

A: Rebels are the only faction living outside the law - they fight against your regime and undertake various guerilla activities.
Sorry, there are no sea fights.


9. Ulf (German):

Q: Will you be able to build all structures immediately from the start or will there be a research component in the game to unlock more buildings or improve productivity?

A: Although there is no research, some buildings and upgrades have prerequisites and can't be built immediately. For example, you need a power plant in order to use any building or upgrade that requires electricity. Also, most of the advanced buildings are not available in the first few missions of the campaign.


10. Ulf (German):

Q: Will there be a limit for the number of buildings a player can build?

A: There is no hard cap on the number of buildings, although it is possible to run out of building space, especially on the smallest island size. This is intentional - when playing on a small island you have to carefully consider how to use the available space. It should be very hard to run out of space on a larger island size.


11. Ulf (German), ElHoneyBadger (International):

Q: Will there be tourism in the game? If so, will there be opportunities to create new/different kinds of tourism? eco-tourism for example? Maybe rainforests, or having a coral reef in the area, that could either attract divers and researchers to your island (or that could just be shamelessly exploited)? Maybe caves, such as the ones in Jamaica? Or hot springs, like on the Azores? Or anthropological areas? Can foreign celebrities visit our island?

A: Tourism is an important game mechanic and it is possible to focus the whole economy on it and create a tourist paradise. There are several classes of tourists such as eco-tourists and slob tourists. Individual tourists have different preferences and wealth. As the reputation of your island rises, you will attract more and wealthier tourists. Particularly beautiful areas like beaches near coral reefs will be preferable for some tourist attractions.

As for foreign celebrities - you can still invite the Pope or some aging American pop singer with the corresponding edicts.


12. Servant Corps (International):

Q: Will you be able to invade other countries with an army, or be able defend your country from a Superpower Invasion? In general, wow will combat and conflicts be resolved in the game? Will it be a huge part of the game?

A: In general, Tropico was never a war game and we want to keep it this way. Combat is restricted to skirmishes between rebels and the army, or loyalists and traitors in case of a military coup or uprising. You can send El Presidente to personally shoot some rebels, but the rest of your troops act independently. Both rebels and soldiers try to form groups during battle and coordinate their efforts with their allies as much as possible.


13. cccp232 (International), Buddy3101 (German):

Q: Will there be a variety of military equipment and facilities available besides just regular army troops? For example, will there be tanks?

A: Soldiers use jeeps and the road infrastructure to quickly travel to remote locations. There is no warfare with tanks or other heavy-duty military vehicles - there are plenty of military games that offer this kind of experience and we don't wish to turn Tropico in one of them.


14. stefan-313 (German):

Q: Will there be waste disposal/recycling management in the game so you can keep your island clean?

A: Pollution is produced by industry buildings and the local population. Most Tropicans don't care very much about it, except those Environmentalists that nobody pays any attention to anyway, but high pollution is a big turn-off for tourists.

There are several ways to reduce pollution - special edicts implementing pollution standards, upgrades, and even the positioning of your industry buildings are for preserving the pristine environment of your island.


15. Lou Bega's Hat (International):

Q: Will the economy remain entirely command-oriented (like in Tropico 1) with the government setting wages, constructing buildings and providing all social services, or will there be any private sector activity at all?

A: Although the command-oriented economy is preserved, privately owned buildings do exist in one or two missions - the player has no direct control over them and can't set parameters such as wages and work mode, but his citizens can work there. Players may use such buildings in their own scenarios.

Cool, nice read.
Especially nice to see that the developers thought about a big number of suggestions that have been floating around here on the forum as well

@Ardanwen
Like the Secret Police, we are lurking in the forum, always on the lookout.

I'm looking forward to this more and more

I suggest the ppl who throw suggestions all the time to read the Interview

Quote:There are several ways to reduce pollution - ... and even the positioning of your industry buildings are for preserving the pristine environment of your island.

i want tourists (their dollars support all my sinister plans) so keeping the city (at least sections) clean is important. been so long since i played T1 but is there an "overlay" or some indication of how much or how far a building "pollutes"? or will it be just common sense, grocery stores are fine, coal plants stink?

Can the secret police be used to kill opponents like military ?

I would love the option of using secret police to kill opponents secretly ..... unlike military which will cause a backlash.

Thank you

Mack the Knife Wrote:

Quote:There are several ways to reduce pollution - ... and even the positioning of your industry buildings are for preserving the pristine environment of your island.

i want tourists (their dollars support all my sinister plans) so keeping the city (at least sections) clean is important. been so long since i played T1 but is there an "overlay" or some indication of how much or how far a building "pollutes"? or will it be just common sense, grocery stores are fine, coal plants stink?

There is an Overlay that shows the pollution on the island.

jason_bourne Wrote:Can the secret police be used to kill opponents like military ?

I would love the option of using secret police to kill opponents secretly ..... unlike military which will cause a backlash.

It just so happens that there is such an option.

hey again sounds completely awesome!

Timo Wrote:Worms / Bracknell / Baltimore 2nd July 2009

12. Servant Corps (International):

Q: Will you be able to invade other countries with an army, or be able defend your country from a Superpower Invasion? In general, will combat and conflicts be resolved in the game? Will it be a huge part of the game?

A: In general, Tropico was never a war game and we want to keep it this way. Combat is restricted to skirmishes between rebels and the army, or loyalists and traitors in case of a military coup or uprising. You can send El Presidente to personally shoot some rebels, but the rest of your troops act independently. Both rebels and soldiers try to form groups during battle and coordinate their efforts with their allies as much as possible. ...

That is a kruel kut to the suggestors who have posted many ways to improve the command & control structure of both the army and the rebels without making a war game.

One has to question where the Police fall in the grouping of loyalists and traitors in case of a military coup or uprising. Will they always be loyalists? Then of course there are the band newie "Secret Police" -- where are they in the line-up of loyalists and traitors in case of a military coup or uprising? One would hope always loyal.

When the player sends his avatar out to shoot rebels, will the army rally around him? What keeps the rebels from shooting him, even by accident? Will the combat include hand-grenades (not heavy gear at all)?

Oops! Too much to be revealed before release.

Timo Wrote:Worms / Bracknell / Baltimore 2nd July 2009

3. cccp232 (International):

Q: Will a player's chosen background/rise to power/etc. play a greater role in this game?

A: You are still able to customize the background of El Presidente, the way he (1)seized power, his (2)qualities and (3)flaws.
The impact of these decisions is roughly the same as it was in Tropico 1 and Paradise Island, but the number of available options is greater than those in Tropico and its expansion combined.

What happened to El Presidente's basic character -- what was called in T1 "background"? It set the stage for the "rise to power" and qualities and flaws were after thoughts.

Since T3 has such a much expanded list of options, does it also have a more comprehensive list of cross selection "edits" to prevent ridiculous combinations.

I opine that the most active topic about gameplay after release will be about how to select the various categories of El Presidente's characteristics in order to "beat" other elements of the game.

But that's a lot of fun and a ripe field for lots of suggestions for new characteristics and new values for those already provided. Perhaps part of the "modding" process will open up changing the values for the characteristic elements. What fun!

Timo Wrote:Worms / Bracknell / Baltimore 2nd July 2009

2. Ulf (German):

Q: Will the president have a staff of advisors to help him make the right decisions?

A: El Presidente is a man that likes to keep the power in his own hands and do things by himself and will continue to do so for now. We seriously considered having a cabinet of ministers or appointing particular citizens at key positions. Following this train of thought we generated a ton of ideas, but in the end we decided that they would shift the focus of the game too much - while the concept for a cabinet of advisors is a cool one, we would like to keep it in our drawer for now. ...

I sincerely hope that one - at least - of that ton of ideas was the JUNTA - the members of which helped bring El Presidente to power if he/she arrived by a coup. I can't believe that would not be the top file in your drawer.

Timo Wrote:Worms / Bracknell / Baltimore 2nd July 2009

13. cccp232 (International), Buddy3101 (German):

Q: Will there be a variety of military equipment and facilities available besides just regular army troops? For example, will there be tanks?

A: Soldiers use jeeps and the road infrastructure to travel quickly to remote locations. There is no warfare with tanks or other heavy-duty military vehicles - there are plenty of military games that offer this kind of experience and we don't wish to turn Tropico in one of them.

That implies that use of jeeps requires roads - that is they are not "off-road" vehicles. One has to assume that "remote locations" are those rebel attacks not close to the army's employment buildings -- those being the places where Soldiers and Generals congregrate and jump into the jeeps. Complexities jump to mind, but will be revealed in a month or so.

I still have to press the issue of grenades -- since all the other complex stuff is now definitely out of the game. I think the Generals really don't go to skirmish with the Rebels armed with the same rifles as the Soldiers. They have pistols as do the Policemen. But they should also have grenades to throw. Good visual effect and slightly more effective than a pistol.

BTW, is El Presidente going to use a lowly single-shot rifle? He of all people should have a "burp-gun"!!

Why would generals run around with grenades?

Quote:13. cccp232 (International), Buddy3101 (German):

Q: Will there be a variety of military equipment and facilities available besides just regular army troops? For example, will there be tanks?

A: Soldiers use jeeps and the road infrastructure to quickly travel to remote locations. There is no warfare with tanks or other heavy-duty military vehicles - there are plenty of military games that offer this kind of experience and we don't wish to turn Tropico in one of them.

You guys have confused me.

In English, a jeep is like the vehicle that is pictured below:

Three screenies, represented as taken from game-play, clearly show Army trucks.

Which type of vehicle will actually be used in T3?

I will not mind, if the answer is both

There are both army trucks and army jeeps.

Ardanwen Wrote:Why would generals run around with grenades?

In a "tin-pot" army, they are too expensive to trust to soldiers.

Quote:There are both army trucks and army jeeps.

The prefect answer

The next time y'all are putting a screenies release together... throw in several good shots showing the Army of Tropico at work

el_malo Wrote:

Quote:There are both army trucks and army jeeps.

The prefect answer

The next time y'all are putting a screenies release together... throw in several good shots showing the Army of Tropico at work

Screenie of military in action against rebels too .........

Good to hear that T3 will still have many features from T1

I just read the developer interview, and man I'm pumped up!

xbox2201 Wrote:Good to hear that T3 will still have many features as T1

Hopefully more. Keep your eyes peeled.

Bladex1200 Wrote:I just read the developer interview, and man I'm pumped up!

xbox2201 Wrote:Good to hear that T3 will still have many features as T1

Hopefully more. Keep your eyes peeled.

haha lol..

I stuffed up that sentence my bad lol

I meant to say glad it was have many features from T1

Great!!! It seems very cool. Cant wait to play it