I actually never even heard of the Tropico series before I saw the free weekend on steam.
I think it's a really great game and I've build some great islands and just can't stop playing.

I was browsing through some T3 forums, read some questions and saw some screenshots.
The thing is, I couldnt find a single thing that would'nt also apply on T4

Does anybody mind sharing what the differences are between T3 and T4, and for that matter also in relation to T1 and T2?

It looks like it's pretty much the same idea with some different challenges. Unless people strongly recommend not to do so, I'll get them when I'm finished with this one.

T1 is closer to T3 than T4. T1 is the original, T3 is seen by many as a remake. There are subtle and not so subtle changes (T1 doesn't have roads). T2 is pirate-themed, and is the standout/random entrant into the collection. It's different. T1 to T3 differences become unimportant here, as you'd get Reloaded purely for T2, and T1 is more of a bonus

T3/T4 differences ... I'd argue are mostly subtle, with building changes modifying the state. T4's difficulty is minimal. I mean, if you want it, there's none. You can crank it up later though in the sandbox, or even replaying the campaign, by changing your profile (traits, etc.). T4 also has a different engine to T3 (it's an evolution of what I refer to as 'HGE' (T3, other Haemimont based strategy games) to 'HGE2' (T4/The First Templar).

Humour is different between them, and there are mixed views. My personal view is that they're all funny in their own ways, and just because a name precedes a number it doesn't mean you should expect similar behaviours even if the atmosphere is the same (NWN vs NWN2; Mass Effect 1/2; any other Bioware game ... any other EA/Maxis game for that matter too).

T1 is great.. But it is much more of a political sim. You play the game to please the people, and try as hard as you can to meet an objective if you are playing a campaign mission. there are some i still have not been able to beat, and i have spent 40+ hours on a few. 10-20 tries in some cases.

t2, pirates and captives and perhaps it was cause i never played it till recently, but it is in some ways my fav. There are a few things that i don't like, as basically you don't have to please prisoners as much so in that way it is a bit easier than t1. But it is a fun game and defiantly worth playing.

t3, It is a modern remake of t1, but it is a lot easier. (playing t3 did make me a much better t1 player in the long run) the stories are nice, and the missions are pretty fun over all, but it still holds the tropico feel.

t4, while it is still tropico, the difficulty has changed. It is mainly about scripted functions and story, on a city builder sim. It still holds some political values, but they are more of a side bar. the game has so many ways to manipulate people that they are more puppets and you are just pulling the strings and messing with them. once you understand the game.


They are all fun, but i play them for different reasons. t4 is more about building big islands, and style to me. T1, if i want a challenge and really get in the minds of my little tropicans and micro managing an island, and T3 if i want something in the middle. T2 is the one to play if you wanna be a pirate!

Hope this helps

Thanks for your response!

Sounds like a good reason to buy the first 3 parts also, I'm sure there's a package available somewhere with them all included.

(22-05-2012 10:10 PM)Swixel Wrote:  ... T1 is the original, T3 is seen by many as a remake. There are subtle and not so subtle changes (T1 doesn't have roads). T2 is pirate-themed, ...

Oh my! Pardon me -- T1 does indeed have roads. They can be used as important components of gameplay because they speed up the walking rate of the people vs that rate on the other land surfaces. What T1 does not have is land vehicles.

It is false and totally misleading to assert that T3 is simply a "remake" of T1. T3 adds the Garage building which transmogrifies people into various kinds of land vehicles (and back again). These land vehicles are restricted to travel on a type of road which is completely different from the T1 roads. The T3 "Garage & Road" combination totally reconfigures that part of gameplay concerned with building location. The island landmass generation and connection with the buildings is completely different from T1's system. These two changes\additions alone make T3 a completely new game system from T1. There are other differences too; even the theme is approached from a new view point - The Bare Naked Ladies play Serge Prokofieff.

T2 is the Tropico island used as a pirate base centuries before the time of T1. There are no visuals of the action away from the island at sea. The game is excellent in conception and execution, but without the visuals for sea action, it can't sell. The player has to use the text-based reports to mentally visualize what happens to ships. In today's market of players sitting on the couch holding a click and shoot console -- a text based game just won't work.

(23-05-2012 05:35 PM)Tropije Wrote:  T1 is great. But it is much more of a political sim. You play the game to please the people, ... t3, It is a modern remake of t1, ...

Sorry! That's only one opinion.

It is no more political than economic. You play to manipulate rather than please the people.

I covered the mistake about "remake" previously.

(23-05-2012 07:55 PM)CoconutKid Wrote:  

(23-05-2012 05:35 PM)Tropije Wrote:  T1 is great. But it is much more of a political sim. You play the game to please the people, ... t3, It is a modern remake of t1, ...

Sorry! That's only one opinion.

It is no more political than economic. You play to manipulate rather than please the people.

I covered the mistake about "remake" previously.

I'm not sure why you wouldn't call t3 a remake.. that is basically the game in spirit. It plays very much like an easier version of t1, but yes the new Cars change the game play and a host of other little differences, But the spirit of the game is very much the same. t4+MT not so much, atleast to me,.. as i said the game plays much more like a macro city builder, with political side features..


But i will disagree about the politics side in t1. T4 you can compeltly ignore people's needs and still play the game for 50 years without much difficulty.. Even in the campaign senarios if you understand the game you can really do what ever you want outside of a few little things to keep rebels from poping. I often don't build any residency or churches for 20 years, just cause it is fun.. Shack Island is awesome!

Don't want to build houses, No problem, Find churches a waste of time.. Who needs them?? entertainment? That is just a communist plot!! In T1, if you skipped all housing, churches, and entertainment,, there is no possible way to win the first election, atleast that i have found in any campaign style mission, trust me, i have tried.. Sandbox, perhaps as i have only played it a couple of times. All these years i've spent trying to beat all the missions. But even if you forbid elections, you would most likely have a coup, or get invaded if you ignored all 3.. Cause with out entertainment+housing, your troops will not remain loyal atleast any way i have found.. T3-T4, they can though it can be a we bit of a challenge with zero luxuories.

that is why i say it is much more politcal. You can call it manipulation if you like, but it all boils down to making people happy, and it is just easier in t3-4.

Besides, T3-T4, have avatar, and speaches, which is another big difference,. That helps a ton to keep your islanders in check.

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(23-05-2012 06:13 PM)DaViDoGG Wrote:  Thanks for your response!

Sounds like a good reason to buy the first 3 parts also, I'm sure there's a package available somewhere with them all included.

I heard there is some sorta bundle with all.. But i'm not sure as i have never seen it listed anywhere.

that said, you are most likely a steam user, as per your first post.. So if you want, i'm sure steam has T3+ abosolute power expansion bundled.

Tropico "reloaded" Is T1+expansion, and T2.. Steam may have that as well, Or you can get a DRM free version from http://www.gog.com


Enjoy!!

(23-05-2012 06:54 PM)CoconutKid Wrote:  

(22-05-2012 10:10 PM)Swixel Wrote:  ... T1 is the original, T3 is seen by many as a remake. There are subtle and not so subtle changes (T1 doesn't have roads). T2 is pirate-themed, ...

Oh my! Pardon me -- T1 does indeed have roads. They can be used as important components of gameplay because they speed up the walking rate of the people vs that rate on the other land surfaces. What T1 does not have is land vehicles.

Ah, sorry, I meant less cars, I should really fire it up again at some stage when I'm less busy.

(23-05-2012 06:54 PM)CoconutKid Wrote:  It is false and totally misleading to assert that T3 is simply a "remake" of T1.

I don't share the view, I said it's seen by many.

(23-05-2012 10:31 PM)Swixel Wrote:  <<snip>>

(23-05-2012 06:54 PM)CoconutKid Wrote:  It is false and totally misleading to assert that T3 is simply a "remake" of T1.

I don't share the view, I said it's seen by many.

I'm sorry. I realized that you didn't agree or so assert. I did not intend to imply that you did. I was just too lazy to make that sentence long and complex to cover the fact that some make the assertation and others do not.

I intended to speak to those who do so assert.

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BTW: the additional huge change in T3 that makes it far more than a "remake" is putting El Presidente on the map thereby giving the player his personal avatar to move around in the game as in a first person shooter.