So I have played Tropico 4 for a week now. I play the sandbox because I think that's the best way to learn to play a game.
My first island was Santa Clara.

After beginning the campaign: I discover I am on Santa Clara! OK this is good because I have practiced.

Here is how the game goes:

I get to 2019!! and I am still not winning. What is going on? Have I won?

Oh wait: Because I choose pure Communism, I deliberately ignore everything the church demands. Therefore the game does not progress because I have not hired 4 priests.

What is this idiocy?? I do this then suddenly the game proceeds and drops many tasks on me. Build 3 apartments: I have 14 apartment blocks already built!
Build a nightclub: I have a marina, 2 luxury hotels, a yacht, 2 nightclubs,
an art gallery, 6 pubs, 10 restaurants and 4 gourmet restaurants.
Oh wait hahaha... I have TWO nighclubs so why am I having to build another???


Similarly; my populations is 380 people. I have built enough houses, apartment blocks and condominiums for everyone and I still have empty accomodation everywhere on the island.
I find families living in shacks literally beside half empty apartment blocks with air conditioning.

Are they completely stupid or does my nation need a housing allocation office??
And if I get that, how the hell do I allocate housing based on education/ employment status? Why cannot I click on a citizen and assign them housing? I am sick of seeing farmers build shacks beside farms surrounded by empty apartment blocks and seeing my soldiers and professors commute across the island while a farmer's family lives right outside their work building.


Lastly; If I chose to be a female Presidente, who is that man masquerading as me on the radio all the time?

campaign is the way to go for me. There are some challenges after it too.

The quests kind of make more sense if you follow them from the start. If you want to progress in the quests you'll occasionally have to act slightly contrary to your political convictions to continue the storyline.

If you don't want that then Sandbox mode is still pretty rewarding.

(25-04-2012 03:21 AM)!El Benevolente Supremo! Wrote:  Similarly; my populations is 380 people. I have built enough houses, apartment blocks and condominiums for everyone and I still have empty accomodation everywhere on the island.
I find families living in shacks literally beside half empty apartment blocks with air conditioning.

Yeah, housing can be a bit tricky in Tropico.

One factor is Rent. A citizen family couple will only pay 1/3 of their combined income for rent. For a single uneducated man earning $5, a $3 apartment is going to be out of reach. Either reduce the rent or increase wages.
Both options have "apply universally" options on them somewhere.

Also of course, there's the "Free housing" edict, which opens up buildings to even the unemployed zero-wage Tropicans.

You'll be wanting to raise the Average wage as time goes on to compete with the wider Caribbean area.

Quote:And if I get that, how the hell do I allocate housing based on education/ employment status? Why cannot I click on a citizen and assign them housing?

Housing in Tropico is a matter of free choice. I'm not sure what governs it, but travel time for work for at least one family member is a factor.

You can try and allocate nicer residences to richer tenants through pricing, as discussed above.

Quote:Lastly; If I chose to be a female Presidente, who is that man masquerading as me on the radio all the time?

You mean Penultimo? He's your lackey. Your left hand man. The Baldrick to your Blackadder.

You hear Presidente's voice on the radio if you choose to give an election speech. There's a female version.