Software:Sid Meier's Railroads!

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Sid Meier's Railroads!
Cover art by Michel Bohbot[1]
Developer(s)Firaxis Games
Feral Interactive (OS X, Android, iOS)[2]
Publisher(s)2K
Feral Interactive (OS X, Android, iOS)
Designer(s)Sid Meier
EngineGamebryo
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Android
ReleaseWindows
  • NA: October 18, 2006
  • PAL: October 27, 2006
OS X
  • WW: November 1, 2012
iOS, Android
  • WW: April 5, 2023
Genre(s)Business simulation game
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Sid Meier's Railroads! is a business simulation game developed by Firaxis Games on the Gamebryo game engine that was released in October 2006 and is the sequel to Railroad Tycoon 3. Although Sid Meier created the original Railroad Tycoon, subsequent versions were developed by PopTop Software. Railroads! was the first game in the series since the original to have direct input from Sid Meier himself. After a visit to Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany , Meier was inspired to reinvent his original creation.[3] A version for the Mac OS X was published by Feral Interactive on November 1, 2012, under the latter's Feral Legends label.[2] A mobile version was released in April 2023.[4]

Gameplay

Railroads! is fully three-dimensional and geared more toward head-to-head real-time strategy than the previous versions,[citation needed] resulting in it being less suited to single player play, and a less realistic simulation of railway operation. The terrain is more compressed in this game; there are few areas where players are allowed a long, straight run of track without earthworks or a bridge, meaning that terrain (such as hills, mountains, rivers and inlets) plays a more important role, at least in the early stages of a game.

A train transporting cargo.

The game is heavily focused on economics – players have to build and sustain entire industries using the railroads they develop. Gameplay changes from previous editions of Railroad Tycoon include a system where new technology is first auctioned to the highest bidder. This gives the player a ten-year exclusive use of that technology. Similarly, individual industries are also put up for auction amongst players.[5] However, the game does not have the dynamic pricing of goods across the entire map or cargo that can find alternate means of transportation if no train service is provided that were features of Railroad Tycoon III, and other simplifications compared to previous Railroad Tycoon games are that there is no separation of individual money from company money, nor the ability to raise money on an in-game bond market. Tracklaying is automated and much easier than other editions of Railroad Tycoon.[6] When combined with the more "compressed" terrain, it allows for tactical placement of track to obstruct and frustrate opponents. However, players are limited to laying track in a contiguous system, which in turn reduces the impact of there being no network effects in the economics of the game. Another limitation is that trains do not keep to the right on a stretch of double track, meaning unrealistic blocking of the track by one's own trains is common if more than one train is allowed on a stretch of track.

Industries vary depending on the location and timeframe. European scenarios include Wine, Beer, and Dairy Products while Western United States scenarios focus on Oil and Gold.

The game also allows head-to-head play over a LAN and, prior to 2013 when GameSpy ceased online hosting services for multiplayer games, the Internet, supporting up to four players per game, either human or artificial intelligence.[7]

Scenarios

Like the previous versions, Railroads! offers various historical scenarios, in regions such as the Southwestern United States, the Pacific Northwest, the United Kingdom , France , Eastern Europe, and Germany . In these scenarios (fifteen in all), the game allows the user to take on the role of various famous railway tycoons and robber barons from the past, such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and J.P. Morgan.[citation needed]

With the introduction of patch 1.1 a map editor could be enabled by editing one of the game's .ini files,[8] allowing for the creation of custom maps by users.[9][10]

Critical reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic77/100[11]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGMStarStarStar[12]
Edge6/10[13]
Eurogamer7/10[14]
Game Informer8/10[7]
GameSpot8.1/10[5]
GameSpyStarStarStarHalf star[15]
GamezeboStarStarStarStar[16]
GameZone7.8/10[17]
IGN8/10[18]
Maximum PC7/10[19]
PC Gamer (US)85%[20]
The TimesStarStarStarStarStar[21]

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[11]

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Sid Meier's Railroads! for "Simulation Game of the Year" at the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.[22]

See also

  • Chris Sawyer's Locomotion

References

  1. ↑ "Michel Bohbot". http://www.mbohbot.com/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Now Boarding: Sid Meier's Railroads! Out Now on Mac!". November 1, 2012. https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/news/344/. 
  3. ↑ SidMeiersRailroads (October 24, 2006). "Interview with Sid Meier" (Video). Google. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JjVsBQVK2A. 
  4. ↑ "Sid Meier's Railroads Released for IOS and Android". https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/mobile-games/railroads/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mueller, Greg (October 18, 2006). "Sid Meier's Railroads! Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sid-meiers-railroads-review/1900-6160058/. 
  6. ↑ Adams, Dan (August 14, 2006). "Sid Meier's Railroads! (Preview)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/08/14/sid-meiers-railroads. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Juba, Joe (December 2006). "Sid Meier's Railroads!". Game Informer (GameStop) (164). http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/2E1C4B8D-B401-4B7E-998B-9E8F6388B54F.htm. Retrieved October 24, 2006. 
  8. ↑ "Sid Meier's Railroads! 1.1 Patch". http://www.2kgames.com/index.php?p=support&product=245%2C3%2CSid+Meier%27s+Railroads%21%2CPC%2C2K_Games%2Crailroads&section=patches. 
  9. ↑ "Custom Maps". 8 July 2011. https://smrsimple.com/map-database/. 
  10. ↑ "Railroads:Custom Maps". http://www.sidmeiersrailroads.net/media/index.php?title=Railroads:Custom_Maps. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Sid Meier's Railroads! for PC Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/sid-meiers-railroads/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  12. ↑ "Review: Sid Meier's Railroads!". Computer Games Magazine (theGlobe.com) (194): 50. January 2007. 
  13. ↑ Edge staff (Christmas 2006). "Sid Meier's Railroads!". Edge (Future plc) (170): 88. 
  14. ↑ Rossignol, Jim (November 3, 2006). "Sid Meier's Railroads! [date mislabeled as "November 16, 2006""]. Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/r-railroads-pc. 
  15. ↑ "GameSpy: Sid Meier's Railroads!". IGN Entertainment. October 24, 2006. http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/sid-meiers-railroads/741640p1.html. 
  16. ↑ Brodie, Joel (January 4, 2007). "Sid Meier's Railroads! Review". https://www.gamezebo.com/reviews/sid-meiers-railroads-review/. 
  17. ↑ Hollingshead, Anise (November 5, 2006). "Sid Meier's Railroads! - PC - Review". https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/sid_meier_s_railroads_pc_review/. 
  18. ↑ Adams, Dan (October 24, 2006). "Sid Meier's Railroads! Review". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/25/sid-meiers-railroads-review. 
  19. ↑ Lewis, Cameron (January 2007). "Sid Meier's Railroads!". Maximum PC (Future US). http://www.maximumpc.com/article/Sid-Meier--s-Railroads-. Retrieved October 15, 2022. 
  20. ↑ "Sid Meier's Railroads!". PC Gamer (Future US) 14 (1): 62. January 2007. 
  21. ↑ Wapshott, Tim (November 4, 2006). "Sid Meier's Railroads!". The Times. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sid-meiers-railroads-mfcq0z5s92c. 
  22. ↑ "2007 Awards Category Details Simulation Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2007&idGameAwardType=124. 
  • Official website (archived)
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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