[PC] The Official Rollercoaster Tycoon 3D Topic!

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Q: What is RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 and how is it different from previous versions of the game?
A: RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 (RCT3) is completely new and redesigned to take the series to all-new heights. Featuring incredible 3D graphics and the exclusive new Coaster Cam™, you can now see your park from any angle and ride what you build.

For fans of the previous versions of RollerCoaster Tycoon, RCT3 will feel like a completely new game: the game engine is new with stunning 3D views, night time, fireworks, park lighting, realistic weather, a new interface, and many new strategic elements and features requested by the fans. For a full list of features, visit the game info page.

Q: When and Where can I purchase RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3?
A: RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 will be available for sale online and in retail stores in November 2004. The game will be released around the world at the same time. A full list of retailers selling the game will be posted in September, but for now, expect all the major PC video game retailers in North America to carry the game.

Q: Who is developing the game? Is Chris Sawyer programming RCT3?
A: RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 is being developed by Frontier Developments, Ltd. of Cambridge, England, in conjunction with Chris Sawyer, the creator and sole developer of the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise. Frontier and its founder, David Braben, have a long association with Chris Sawyer going back to 1987, when Chris first worked on PC versions of the famous "Elite" and “Virus” games. Chris Sawyer is not programming RCT3, but is providing design and technical consultations to the development team.

Q: Will RCT3 have a sandbox mode? How is this implemented?
A: Yes there will be a sandbox mode. You will be able to create very large parks in sandbox mode, much larger than those offered in the scenarios. But keep in mind that large parks demand more computer resources and may run slowly on other people's machines (for example, those playing RCT3 on a minimum spec computer).

Q: What are the system requirements needed to play
RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3?
A: In order to play RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3, you will need a PC running Windows®. (A version for the Apple/Mac computers is NOT planned at this time).
Minimum and recommended computer specifications are as follows:

Operating System: Windows® 98/Me/2000/XP (Windows® XP recommended)
Processor: Pentium® III 733 MHz or compatible (Pentium® 4 1.2 GHz or compatible recommended)
Memory: 128 MB RAM; 256 MB for XP (256 MB; 384 MB for XP recommended)
Hard Disk Space: 600 MB free
CD-ROM Drive: 4X CD-ROM or faster (8X or faster recommended)
Video:Any ATI Radeon™ or GeForce™ 2 with 32MB or higher; or other video card with 32MB and hardware T&L (ATI Radeon™ 64 MB SDR or GeForce™ 2 Pro or other video card with 64 MB or more memory and hardware T&L recommended)*
Sound: Windows® 98/Me/2000/XP-compatible 16-bit sound card*
DirectX®: DirectX® version 9 (included) or higher

Q: How many rides are there going to be in RCT3?
A: RCT3 will deliver many more rides than were in RCT2, plus a number of these rides and coasters will be all new to the series, fresh from the real world drawing-boards of today's top rollercoaster designers. Additionally, most coasters previously in RCT1 & 2 have been enhanced with a wider variety of track pieces, for example banks. We will release more details on the exact rides in the game as we get closer to launch.

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BEVERLY, MA – July 1, 2004 – Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) announced today that, in addition to all-new 3-D graphics and the ability to virtually “ride the rides,” RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 will allow players to design amazing fireworks displays that can be choreographed to the music of their choice. Using the new Fireworks MixMaster™, players can create pyrotechnic masterpieces and synchronize them to music using pre-set in-game songs or their own MP3 files. In addition, RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 will also include the ability to assign music to rides in the park, new realistic day and night cycles, a park lighting system and various weather effects. RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3, the next addition to the best-selling RollerCoaster Tycoon® franchise - the #1 Tycoon series with over seven million units sold life-to-date worldwide* - is scheduled to ship in November 2004.

“The RollerCoaster Tycoon series has millions of devoted fans who have provided many great ideas for new features they want to see in RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3,” said David Braben, Chairman of Frontier Developments. “The Fireworks MixMaster in the new game is one that we are very proud of and feel really captures the fun spirit of the franchise – allowing players to fully design and customize every aspect of their dream amusement park.”

Using the powerful Fireworks MixMaster, players now have the ability to create awesome fireworks shows by either placing pre-built firework displays anywhere in their park or creating their own displays using many firework styles ranging from rockets and air bombs to flairs and fountains available in the game. The fireworks displays can be used to appeal to guests in the park – the happier they are the more money they will spend - and to attract new visitors by advertising the fireworks attraction as another reason to visit the park.

Each firework show can then be synchronized to match numerous in-game pre-set music files or to the music of the player’s choice by attaching MP3 files to each display. And, as with all the other customizable elements in RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3, players will be able to trade firework shows with other players.

In addition to customized music for fireworks shows, music can also be attached to any coaster or ride in the park. However, unlike previous RollerCoaster Tycoon games, RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 will let players pick tunes from their own music library in a range of popular music formats – or even use tunes they’ve recorded themselves - and attach them to rides and attractions in the parks they have created. Players will also be able to place “speaker objects” in the park and assign songs or sound effects, matching audio and visual themes and giving the park a more immersive feel.

The brand new night cycle including night, dawn, dusk, moon, and stars included in RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3, will challenge players to create the ultimate night time amusement park experience by adding lights to coasters, rides and pathways. Players will need to use different strategies to attract adults, teenagers and children to their park and discover how they explore the park in groups and at different times of day. Sunny, rainy, windy, hot and cold weather effects also give players challenges to keep their guests happy whatever the weather.

RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 will also include previously announced new features including 3-D graphics, allowing players to have complete control of views around the park, and a front seat to the action with a new Coaster Cam™ feature that allows players to ride the roller coasters. New gameplay elements that fans have been asking for – including diversity of guests, added group behavior, improved guest AI - and many other new features which build upon the fun and addictive nature of the original game will also be included in RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3.

RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3 is being developed by Frontier Developments, Ltd. of Cambridge, England, in conjunction with Chris Sawyer, the creator and sole developer of the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise and will be available at retail stores in November 2004. Additional information detailing the history of the series and the features of the new game are available on http://www.rollercoastertycoon.com. Visitors can also download videos, screenshots, character art and wallpaper which will be updated on an ongoing basis through launch.