A.C.E. 2/ACE CD 2.iso/FILES/DOCS/TPARKDOC.LHA/ThemePark.doc2

Text File | 1994-07-29 | 98KB | 2,282 lines

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                             Released Today:
                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                     -^/-  FULL DOCS FOR THEMEPARK  -^/-


                           Docs typed by KaRin

NOTE: These docs were typed up in Wordperfect 5 on a PC (Yeaugghh!)
      So I apologise for any formatting errors!!   ReNeGaDe  --A((eSS--

      A((eSS IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE DUDES TO SIGN UP AND JOIN OUR
         TEAM OF FRIENDSHIP, FUN, AND FAST WAREZ. IF YOU THINK YOU
        HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO JOIN OUR TEAM, CALL ONE OF OUR BOARDS
              OR CONTACT ANY A((ESS MEMBER AND SPEAK YAR MIND


       ______:____:___________________________________________________
       \______    |    ______    ______    _____    _______     _____/
        |    |    |    |____|    |____|    __]_______   \ \______  \
        |    _    |    |    |    |    |         \        \[         \
        |    |    |    |    |    |    |         /         \       tP!\
        |    |----'    _____|    _____|    ____/    ______/    ______/
        `----'    `----'    `----'    `----'   `----'     `----'
       x×X×x×X×x cALL tHESE -*- ACCESS -*- bOARDS wORLD wIDE x×X×x×X×x
       x                                                             x
       ×  [WHQ]  pSYCHOKINESIS..............[nODE#1] [phone] ×
       x  [WHQ]  pSYCHOKINESIS..............[nODE#2] [phone] x
       ×  [WHQ]  pSYCHOKINESIS..............[nODE#3] [phone] ×
       x [USHQ]  pARANOR....................[nODE#1] [phone] x
       × [USHQ]  kING rANSOM................[#AMIGA] [phone] ×
       x [USHQ]  kING rANSOM..................[#IBM] [phone] x
       × [USHQ]  tHE bLACK hOLE.............[nODE#1] [phone] ×
       x  [CHQ]  rEDLIGHT dISTRICT..........[nODE#1] [phone] x
       × [UKHQ]  tHE eDGE oF cHAOS..........[nODE#1] [phone] x
       x [DKHQ]  nORHTERN pALACE............[nODE#1]  [phone] X
       ×  [SHQ]  hALL oF fAME...............[nODE#1]  [phone] ×
       x  [NhQ]  eVERYWARE..................[nODE#1] [phone] X
       X  [NhQ]  cHECKPOINT.................[nODE#1] [phone] x
       x [dIST]  wATERDEEP..................[node#1] +2 pRIVATE 4 u! X
       X                                                             x
       x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×xx×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×xx×X×x×X×x×X×x
       X      cALL tHIS kEWL bOARDS fOR wAREZ & mEGAPHUN!!           X
       x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×xx×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×x×X×xx×X×x×X×x×X×x


Contents

Epilepsy Warning                                                           1

Chapter 1:  Welcome to Theme Park                                          6

The Aim of the Game                                                        8
The Main Menu                                                              9

Chapter 2:  Designing a New Park                                          10

Your Player Details                                                       10
Your Player Details are:                                                  10
Where in the World?                                                       12
Site Details Screen                                                       13
To Leave the Site Details Screen:                                         14
Park Details Screen                                                       15
To Leave the Park Details Screen:                                         15
Tutorial                                                                  16
Following the Tutorial:                                                   16

Chapter 3:  In the Park                                                   18

Using the Icon Bar                                                        18
Laying Paths                                                              19
To Lay Paths:                                                             20
Forming a Queue                                                           20
To Place Queues:                                                          21
Selecting Rides                                                           21
To Access the Rides Purchaser:                                            21
To Access the Quick Menu                                                  22
To Place a Ride:                                                          22
To Place the Entrance:                                                    22
To Place the Exit:                                                        23
Buying Shops                                                              23
To Purchase a Shop:                                                       23
Park Features                                                             24
To Purchase Park Features:                                                24
Toilet Training                                                           25
Hiring Staff                                                              26
To Hire Staff:                                                            26
To Place Staff in the Park:                                               26
Overview Map                                                              27
Query Mode                                                                27
Park Status Icon                                                          28
Check Finances                                                            28
Tune-Up Icons                                                             28
Tune-Up Icons Specific to Staff are:                                      29
Using Quick Menus                                                         30
User-Definable Rides                                                                   31
Building a Raised Track Ride                                              31
Adjusting Height                                                          32
Modernising Raised Track Rides                                            32
Building a Flat Track Ride                                                32
Ride Cost                                                                 33
Open for Business                                                         33
To Open Your Theme Park Either:                                           33
To Pause the Game:                                                        33

Chapter 4:  People in the Park                                            34

Staff                                                                     34
Entertainers                                                              34
Handymen                                                                  34
Mechanics                                                                 34
To Repair a Ride:                                                         35
Guards                                                                    35
Zoning Staff Icons                                                        35
To Zone Routes:                                                           36
Staff-Check Icons                                                         36
Customers                                                                 36
Thugs                                                                     37
Consumer Association Reps                                                 37

Chapter 5:  Purchaser Screens                                             38

Ride Purchaser                                                            38
The Ride Purchaser Tells You:                                             38
Purchaser Screen Icons                                                    39
Shop and Side-Show Purchaser                                              39
Side-Shows                                                                40
Staff Purchaser                                                           41
On the Staff Purchaser Information Includes:                              41
Features Purchaser                                                        41
Information Screens                                                       42
Ride Information Screen                                                   42
Shop Information Screen                                                   43
Side-Show Information Screen                                              45
Staff Information Screen                                                  45
Customer Information Screen                                               46
Ranking Screens                                                           47
Ride Rankings                                                             47
Staff Rankings                                                            48
Shop Rankings                                                             48




Chapter 6:  Using the Menu Bar                                                         50

The Park Menu                                                             50
Restart                                                                   50
Load                                                                      50
Save                                                                      50
Park Open (O)                                                             51
Firework Display (F)                                                      51
Quit (Alt-Esc)                                                            51
The Options Menu                                                          51
Sound FX                                                                  51
Music                                                                     51
Advisor (Forward Slash)                                                   51
Auto Buys (Shift B)                                                       51
Sandbox/Sim/Business                                                      52
Game Speed                                                                52
The Display Menu                                                          52
Toggle Screen Mode (R)                                                    52
Ride Purchaser                                                            52
Shop Purchaser                                                            52
Scenery Purchaser                                                         52
Staff Purchaser                                                           52
Shop List (F5)                                                            53
Ride List (F6)                                                            53
Staff List (F7)                                                           53
Park Map                                                                  53
Bank Requester                                                            53
Bank Statement                                                            53
Stock Screen (Shift-S)                                                    53
Research Department (N)                                                   53
Game                                                                      54
Stock Market (Control-S)                                                  54
World Map (M)                                                             54
Make Things Tiny (Shift-T)                                                54

Chapter 7:  Developing Your Park                                          56

Park Status Screen                                                        56
To Access the Park Status Screen                                          56
Using the Park Status Screen                                              56
Thought Bubbles                                                           57
Stock Screen                                                              59
To Access the Stock Screen:                                               59
To Place an Order:                                                        59
The Research Department                                                   60
To Access the Research Lab:                                               60
Funding Research                                                          61
Research Vials                                                            61
Leaving Research                                                          62
Negotiation Screens                                                                    62
Staff Negotiations                                                        62
To Raise Your Offer:                                                      63
To Lower Your Offer:                                                      63
Make, Break or Strike                                                     63
Goods Negotiations                                                        64

Chapter 8:  The Financial Sector                                          66

Bank Requester Screen                                                     66
Using the Bank Requester Screen                                           67
Stock Market                                                              69
Buy!Buy!Buy!                                                              70
Sell!Sell!Sell!                                                           70

Chapter 9:  Year End Charts                                               72

Red Letter Days                                                           72
Ratings Chart                                                             73
Year End Details Chart                                                    74
Auctions                                                                  75
Bankruptcy                                                                75
About Bullfrog                                                            76
Credits                                                                   77
Notice                                                                    78
Limited Warranty                                                          79Chapter 1:  Welcome to Theme Park

"The weather looked a bit dodgy, threatening rain, but it was pleasantly warm.  Near
perfect conditions for a family visit to the Theme Park which had recently opened
nearby.  The TV ads promise a perfect day out and thrills galore, and the place
looked so spectular we just couldn't resist.

The bus that took us to the Theme Park was huge, with room for a couple of
hundred people on board.  And not all crammed in like sardines either; everyone
got a seat, there was plenty of leg room and air conditioning kept us cool.  We
scythed through the traffic, and in no time at all arrived at our destination.

A sign above the gate said Welcome to Bullfrog's World!  Even I was excited, and
my kids were buzzing.  I bought the tickets - a bit steep for the whole family, but all
the rides are free once you're in.  The great metal gates swung open and in we
swarmed, carried along by the enthusiasm of the crowd.  And what a sight met our
eyes!  The place was fantastic!  Rides galore, shops, souvenirs and all the facilities
you could possibly wish for.

A huge roller coaster - The Whirlwind - dominated the skyline, and we followed the
signs straight there, hoping to be the first in the queue.  Somehow a few others had
beaten us to it, but we weren't made to wait for long.  We climbed aboard and
pulled down the safety rail, me and the wife in front, the two kids behind.  Phew,
what a ride.  Loops, curls, corkscrews and so fast.  The g-force was, to quote the
kids, 'intense'.  They wanted a second go immediately, but I said we should try a few
of the other rides first, and bought them 'I Rode The Whirlwind' t-shirts from a
nearby souvenir stand to keep them happy.


Hint

This is the level of satisfaction, facilities and customer service your park has to
approach to have any chance of making it in the ultra-competitive Theme Park
business.  If you possess the skills required to make people happy while
simultaneously taking them for as much money as possible, read on.  Because when
you play Theme Park, you're riding a financial whirlwind.


A few rides later, I was getting peckish and the kids were ravenous.  There was a
burger stand handy, so I treated the family to burgers and fries.  We ate them by a
fountain in the picnic area, in the cool shade of the trees.  Bliss.  The food was
good, but the salty fries soon had us all thirsty, so it was out with the wallet again
for a few colas and the inevitable ice creams.

As I put my litter in the bin I noticed the kids had left rubbish on the grass, but
before I could get them to pick it up one of the park workers had whisked it away.
Still, the day wouldn't have been complete without giving the kids a good telling off
and their subsequent tantrums.

Refreshed and rejuvenated I felt like a challenge, so I chanced my arm on the
Coconut Shy.  Those coconuts must have been glued in, because I hit them on the
full a few times but they didn't budge.  Then my son decided to humiliate me by
hitting the cans for six in Tin Can Alley.  Now it was my turn to sul, so I decided to
cool off in the Saloon while the wife and kids went off exploring.

When I emerged I needed to answer a call of nature, and the clear sign-posting
meant I'd found a toilet in no time.  The Super Toilet was so clean and user-
friendly, I remember thinking I could have stayed there for hours.  Next I headed
for the Fountain, a meeting place for separated families, and sure enough the wife
was waiting with the little ones.

They'd had a marvellous time in my absence, had travelled all over the park by
Monorail, and hadn't even minded the inevitable shower of rain because a man
dressed as a chicken handed out umbrellas to protect them.  Plus they rode the
Whirlwind for a second time and it was even faster than before, speeded up for
extra thrills.

We stood and watched a spectacular firework display as the sky grew darker, and
then tired but happy made our way back to the bus.  All in all the family's day out
at Bullfrog's World just couldn't have been any better."


Hint

Now that might sound easy enough, but if you think Theme Park's going to be a
walk in the park, you couldn't be further from the truth.  Success in business
requires an awesome eye for detail, and likewise in Theme Park.  You need to fine
tune every ride, shop and side-show for maximum profit margin.  Don't forget to
check on your finances regularly at the Bank Screen, and listen to the Park Advisor's
advice throughout the game on how to make the most of the Theme Park.


The Aim of the Game

Simply put, to be the best.  To make your Theme Park not only the hottest ticket
for thousands of visitors, but the hottest property on the shares exchange.

At the end of every financial year, you receive a statement on the Year End Chart,
rating your Theme Park against 40 rivals in six categories.  The categories are:

Richest Park Owner
Most Exciting Park
Most Amenities
Customer Satisfaction
Biggest Park
Most Pleasant Park


Only when you're numero uno in each category have you achieved your aim of
constructing the ultimate Theme Park.


Hint

Nicknames become important when saving games.  While there are only 10 saved
game slots, you can save 10 parks per nickname and there's no limit to the number
of nicknames you can have.


The Main Menu

Having successfully loaded the game, the Advisor introduces you to the world of
Theme Park.  To skip the intro sequence at any point, press spacebar.  You arrive
at the Title Screen; press spacebar again and you're asked to type in a nickname.
Do so using the keyboard, and confirm with a left-click to the Tick icon.  The Main
Menu appears.

To select a Main Menu option, highlight it with the cursor and left-click or press the
relevant key.

The Main Menu options are:

F1 Setup New Theme Park - left-click here for the Your Player Details screen.

F2 Load Game - a left-click opens the Saved Game window.  To choose which park
to re-open, highlight with the cursor and left-click.  Press Esc to return to the Main
Menu without loading a game.

F3 Continue Game - Returns you to the current Theme Park the last time you
saved.

F4 - See Intro - So impressed you want to watch it again?  I don't blame you.

F5 - See Credits - Find out the names of those responsible for Theme Park.

F6 - Quit to DOS - Quits the Main Menu and takes you to the operating system.

Chapter 2:  Designing a New Park

Highlight F1 Setup New Theme Park and left-click for the Your Player Details
screen.

Your Player Details

Give the park some personality and set-up the kind of game you want to play on the
Your Player Details screen.

Use the mouse to highlight a category with the cursor and left-click.  Alternatively,
use the cursor keys to move up and down the list, and left/right to select particular
options.

Your Player Details are:

Your Name - Type in your name using the keyboard.

Your Nickname - Type in something witty, abusive or filthy using the keyboard, to
a maximum of eight characters.  This nickname becomes essential when restoring
saved games - it acts like a password and you're unable to resotre a game without
it.

Age - Lie if you like, but you're only kidding yourself.  Enter your age on the
keyboard.

Sex - The options are Male or Female, so no surprises there.  Highlight one or the
other with the cursor keys, or left-click the appropriate one.

Park Name - Type in nothing here and your park's known as Bullfrog's World, but
I'm sure you can come up with something a little more imaginative than that.  Enter
the park name on the keyboard; use Backspace to erase incorrect characters.

Sim Level - Choose from Sandbox, Sim and Full.  Highlight the desired level of play
with the cursor, and then left-click.

Sandbox level is very much for beginners.  You can enjoy all the fun of the fair and
design a park without the stresses, strains and complications that come from visits
to the Bank Requester screen.  There's no need for Research and your shops can't
run out of stock so there's no need to visit the Stock Screen.  However, you may still
need to take out a loan, and keep one eye on your bank balance to avoid going
bankrupt.  Needless to say, you're missing out on an awful lot of Theme Park's best
features.

Sim level is intermediary.  You're involved in Research to develop new park
facilities and the Negotiation screens pop up periodically.  However, if you visit the
Stock Screen and Stock Market screens you'll find that these features aren't
available to you.

Only on Full level do you get to utilise all of Theme Park's options.  Now you're not
only expected to Research new facilities, but pruchase stock for shops and shares in
other parks.  You're responsible for every financial transaction, and rival operators
have a say in your success.  On Full level, you're playing with the big boys.

Park Visitors - Choose a modd from Happy, Average and Fussy by left-clicking the
approriate box.  The fussier your customers become, the harder it is to part them
from their cash.  This only affects your Theme Park's visitors for the first four years
of operation, after which it's all down to you.

Start Level - Choose between Easy, Medium and Hard.  This decides the amount
of money you begin the game with.  On Easy level 200,000 is deposited in your
current account, choose Medium and 150,000 is added to your coffers, while on
Hard level you've a mere 100,000 to play with.

Opponents - None, 4, 10 and All are the options here.  If you're playing in glorious
isolation the game loses its competitive element.  The more rival Theme Parks that
are out there, the trickier it gets to be best in all six categories and someone might
just buy the park out from under you.

Opponents Level - This decides how aggressive your opponents are.  Choose
between Easy, Medium, and Hard.  You can make life a lot simpler if you hamper
the opposition and make them Easy, but for a real challenge make All the opposing
Theme Park owners rock Hard.

First Game - No or Yes.  If you select Yes you're given a Tutorial by the Park
Advisor when you enter the park to help you get started (see Tutorial).

When you've finished entering your Player Details, left-click the Tick icon for a look
at the World Map.


Hint

A site close to a large European or North American city is going to be an easier
proposition than one in Antarctica, but these are also the most expensive sites.  So
when choosing a location, make certain you've enough cash left to develop the site
and haven't blown it all beforehand.  The cheaper the site, the more you have to
spend to make a success of it, but Theme Park is all the more challenging when
you've difficult terrain and a remote location to overcome.









Where in the World?

On the World Map available sites are marked in yellow.  Red dots mark locations
you currently can't afford, while sites occupied by other Theme Park owners are
marked in blue.  At the bottom of the screen is your bank balance.  Highlight a
location with the cursor; the name and cost of establishing a park appear above your
bank balance.  The more salubrious and desirable the location, the greater the initial
cost.  No surprise then that it costs nothing to setup a park in Britain - this is your
only option the first time you play Theme Park.

Left-click a red or yellod dot for details of the site and the country in which it's
located (see Site Details Screen).  Left-click a blue dot for a look at parks already
in existence on the Park Details Screen.

When you find a site you're happy with, left-click Buy Land.  This location appears
on the World Map as a golf ball about to be teed off.  To leave the World Map for
the park itself, left-click the Tick icon.

Site Details Screen

This lists all the factors which could effect the success of a Theme Park built on a
particular site, specifically population, economy and climate:

Cost - How big a bite of your bank balance is this location going to take?

Local Population - The number of potential customers that your Theme Park has
to draw from in the early stages.

Medium Population - Further down the line, a medium-sized park could attract
visitors from from further afield.

Long Population - When your park has grown in size and its reputation has become
international, the number of potential customers grows to the figure found here.

Inflation Rate - From 0-100%.  The lower the better, because an inflation rate of
100% means that your overheads will double annually.

Interest Rate - From 0-100%.  As with the inflation rate, you want to keep this low
or end up paying through the nose for every penny you borrow.

Econony - Rich, Poor or Medium.  This indicates how much cash customers will
have to spend in your Theme Park, and the worse the economy the less disposable
income is available.






Hint

The larger the population able to access the park, the more stable the economy and
the more pleasant the climate, the easier it is to make a go of your Theme Park.


Tax Free Period Years - The length of time you can run your park without paying
land tax.

Land Tax - The amount you pay is calculated by applying this rate to the area of
land your park occupies, so keep it compact and you'll pay less tax.

Weather - Rainy, Sunny, Stormy, etc.  The better the weather the more likely people
are to venture out of their homes and into your park.

Terrain - You have to build around rocks and other natural obstacles, so choose a
site that's nice and flat if there's one available.

Who - The name of the park's owner.

To Leave the Site Details Screen:

Having digested all the information on the Site Details screen, left-click the Buy
Land icon to accept the site.  The Park Details appear on screen (see Park Details
Screen).

If you're not happy with a site, left-click the Tick icon to return to the World Map
and check out another location.

Park Details Screen

Check out with your own park details and those of rival park owners at the Park
Details screen.  This tells you:

Player Name - That's you (or your opponent) that is.

Balance - As in 'bank'.  The amount of money available for development of the site.

Personality - Rated on a scale of 0-100.

Vendetta - Are there any establsihed rivalries between park owners?  If you find
your own name here, be sure to guard against unfriendly take-over bids.

Reputation - Good, bad or indifferent.  If this is your first Theme Park you haven't
got one, but any subsequent parks are measured against previous efforts.

Number of Rides - Check up on how many rides are in the park by looking here.


Number of Shops - See above.

Number of Staff - See above the above.

Number of People - How popular are your Theme Park rivals?  As for any new
park, until the main gates are thrown open there'd be more visitors to a plague pit.

To Leave the Park Details Screen:

When you've taken it all in, left-click the Tick icon and it's back to the World Map.

Once you've bought a plot, left-click the Tick icon at the World Map and you're in
the park.

Tutorial

When completing Your Player Details, you're asked whether this is the first time
you've played Theme Park (see Your Player Details).  Choose yes for a tutorial from
the Park Advisor when you arrive at the Park Screen.

Following the Tutorial:

The Park Advisor guides you through the tutorial step-by-step.  First of all you're
shown how to lay paths.

Next, place the first Ride.  This is the Bouncy Castle.  Place Entrance and Exit icons
as instructed.  Now connect the Ride to the network of Paths you've created with
a Barrier.

You must now choose a location for an ice cream stand.  Again the Park Advisor
instructs you how to do this.  Then hire three members of staff - a sharkman,
handyman and mechanic - and place them in the park as instructed.

You can now continue to build your park from here.  Remember, everything used
in the Tutorial, including staff wages, has to be bought and paid for like all your
future purchases.

To skip the Tutorial, choose No when asked whether it's the first time you've played
at the Your Player Details screen.Chapter 3:  In the Park

So, You've chosen a location and you're in the park.  The site is currently a flat lot
of nothing with a wall around it and a main gate; you've a lot of work to do before
it's the world's ultimate tourist attraction.

Using the Icon Bar

The Icons Bar at the bottom of the screen is the key to creating your Theme Park.
From left to right the icons are for:  paths, queues, rides, shops, park features, staff,
the overview map, query, park status and of the Bank Requester screen.


Hint

Like everything else in Theme Park paths cost money, so in the early stages when
cash is tight you need to be sensible and place paths only where rides and shops are
going.


Laying Paths

Before you can do anything else, you must lay paths around the park for visitors to
walk along.  Theme Park's little visitors always follow paths, and this is the only way
customers can access shops and rides.  They only go on the grass when they're
looking for the Way Out (and complain if they can't find it).

Note:  Paths cannot be laid where natural obstacles such as rocks and water block
the way.

Left-click the Paths icon to lay plain, ordinary concrete.  The cursor becomes a
trowel.

Right-click for the Paths Menu and choose between concrete and one-way paths or
sign-posts.  The latter two cost extra, but you don't need these until later in the
game when vast numbers of punters need clear directions, so save your money at
first.

When you select one-way paths, the cursor becomes an arrow.  To lay a one-way
path, left-click a path square and then orientate the arrow in your preferred
direction with additional left-clicks.

Left-click the sign-post icon in the Paths Menu and the icon attaches itself to the
cursor.  The sign-post flashes until it's given a sense of direction, which you do by
left-clicking on a shop, ride or feature.  Now move the post to the desired position
in the park and place it with a left-click; wherever it's placed, the sign points to the
chosen amenity.  Left-click again to rotate the sign and lead customers to a
destination via a different route, so as to pass additional shops and rides they might
otherwise have missed.
Note:  Remember to re-select normal paths from the Paths Menu after selecting
one-way or sign-posts.


Hint

There's a good deal of psychology involved when forming queues.  It's difficult to
judge the length of a long queue which doubles back on itself, and punters may join
then become irritated by the wait and leave.  Short queues move people through the
ride more quickly, but as the ride is always full some people may not have the
chance to try it out at all.  As always in Theme Park, it's a balancing act.


To Lay Paths:

The trowel cursor has a path square attached.  Left-click to lay single squares of
concrete.  Alternatively, click and hold the left mouse button and then scroll around
the park with the trowel; a path square is laid wherever the trowel does its digging.

Double left-click a path square to de-select any active icon - rides, shops, staff, etc -
and pick up the trowel for laying paths again.

The path square disappears if you scroll over an area of the park where you can't
lay a path.

A border of flowers grows around paths once the disturbance of the digging has
stopped.

To Remove Paths:

To remove a path square, highlight it with the trowel cursor and right-click.  You
cannot delete the original area of path around the main gate.

Note:  Paths are the only item you pay for immediately.  You won't get the cost of
any ride, shop or staff purchases deducted from your budget until the end of each
month.

Forming a Queue

The thrill-hungry public are unable to sample the delights of a ride unless they can
form an orderly queue for it.  Customers can still access a ride which isn't connected
to a path by a queue, but they do so only one at a time and the ride is not used to
maximum efficiency.






To Place Queues:

Highlight the Queue icon with a left-click.


Now connect the entrance to your chosen ride to the path (see Selecting Rides).
Queues can be placed or removed just as you would a path; hold down the left
mouse and scroll around the screen to place a queue, highlight and right-click to
remove a section of the queue.

Note:  A queue must always be placed from a path to the start of a ride.

Selecting Rides

Only four of Theme Park's rides are available at the start of the game.  In Full and
Sim mode, you can only add to the number of rides availabe by investing in
Research (see Research Department).  At Sandbox level, more rides are added to
the list at the end of each financial year.

There are two ways to purchase rides, through the Rides Purchaser screen or using
the Quick Menu.

To Access the Ride Purchaser:

Left-click the Ride icon for the Rides Purchaser screen (see Purchaser Screens) and
some in-depth information about the attractions currently available to you.

To Access the Quick Menu:

Alternatively, right-click the Ride icon for the Quick Menu.

Left-click an item from this menu to select your ride.  Each one has a price tag; if
you don't have enough cash for a particular ride, the ride icon has a red background.
Having made your decision, the Quick Menu disappears and the chosen attraction
is stuck to the cursor like chewing gum to a set of false teeth.

To Place a Ride:

Left-click in the area of the park large enough to accommodate the ride.  You now
need to place the ride's Entrance and Exit.

To Place the Entrance:

Once a ride has been positioned, the entrance icon appears.  Moving the mouse lets
you move the entrance anywhere around the ride, and a left-click locks it in place.
To move the entrance again, choose the appropriate icon from the information
screen (see Information Screens).


You can change the orientation of the Entrance of User-Definable rides (see User-
Definable Rides).


Hint

Food and drink stands are essential to the running of your park, as people will head
for home if they can't get a drink and a bite to eat.  However, souvenir shops and
side-shows, for which you needn't buy stock, can turn you the healthiest profit.


Hint

Visitors only buy souvenirs if they're having a good time, so place souvenir shops
near to your park's best rides and watch the money roll in.


To Place the Exit:

The Exit is a short flight of steps that takes your punters back to terra firma.  Place
this as you did the Entrance.  Remember, you MUST link every ride's exit to a path
or when your punters leave the ride they become lost and mill around on the grass.

Once the ride's Entrance and Exit have been placed, the Tune-Up icons on the far
right of the control Bar become active.  See Tune-Up icons for details of their
functions.

Buying Shops

Shops fall into three categories:  Food & drink stands (for which you must purchase
stock - see Stock Screens), souvenir shops and side-shows.  While it's the thrill rides
that draw in the crowds, you need to keep visitors happy (and earn extra bucks) by
supplying refreshments, and hopefully entice them into going home with a Theme
Park souvenir or two into the bargain.

To Purchase a Shop:

Left-click the Shop icon for the Shops Purchaser screen (see Purchaser Screen) and
an in-depth look at the available shops.

A right-click brings up the Quick Menu.

Left-click an item from this menu to select a shop.  Each one has a price tag; if you
can't afford the chosen shop, its icon has a red background.  Having made your
selection, the Shop Menu disappears leaving you to place the shop where it's likely
to attract the most custom.  A left-click does the job.



Hint

Don't just ignore features such as walls.  They not only tart the place up a bit, but
improve your safety record by keeping customers on the straight and narrow,
preventing them from wandering into the danger zones around the rides.


Park Features

What with Most Pleasant Park being among the categories on which your Theme
Park is judged, it's a good idea to beautify the place with trees and fountains.  Plus,
the park won't stay beautiful for long without proper toilet facilities and clear
signposts showing people where they are.

To Purchase Park Features:

Left-click the Park Features icon for the Features Purchaser screen (see Purchaser
Screens).

Alternatively, right-click the Park Features for the Quick Menu.

Left-click an item from this menu, and then click once on the Park Screen for every
tree you want planting.  If you're putting up a fence, digging a lake, hold down the
left mouse and scroll through the park.

Right-click to remove any piece of scenery, fencing or facility placed in error.

Toilet Training

With all the food and drink you (hope to) sell, visitors are going to need somewhere
they can off load any excess.  Forget to place toilets around your Theme Park and
things are going to either get very messy, or visitors will head for home the moment
nature calls.

The only lavatory available from the Park Features list at first is an old, wooden
outhouse; not the nicest place in the world to park your backside.  Customers are
rather tentative about using these, and a queue forms outside while the occupant
gingerly places a protective layer of lavatory paper between flesh and toilet seat.

Woe betide the Theme Park owner who forgets to have these toilets cleaned.  It isn't
long before an outhouse, with its dodgy drainage and doubtful flushing mechanism,
stinks to high Heaven.  An if placed upwind of the queasy stomachs that often
emerge from the more thrilling thrill rides, it's a recipe for disaster.  First one
punter loses his lunch and then a chain chunder rips through the crowd like wildfire.
Before long your park's going to be about as popular as a bottle of barbecue sauce
at the Three Little Pigs' house.



You can, of course, combat this by keeping outhouses properly maintained.  Send
handymen to clean them regularly, and should the worst happen and the vomit begin
to flow make sure there are plenty of staff to mop it up.

Inject some cash into upgrading Park Features in the Research Lab (see Research
Department) and soon your customers are relaxing on the luxurious, hi-tech Super
Toilet.  This self-cleaning lavatory is so sophisticated it does everything but sing like
Noel Coward to the occupant.  Far from throwing up, customers are more likely to
move in.

Hiring Staff

Think you can run this park alone?  Think again!  There's no way you can offer the
levels of service and satisfaction that your paying customers expect without staff.
Admittedly, in the early stages you might be able to get away with a skeleton staff
but as the litter begins to mount and the hundreds of pounding feet take their toll
on the rides, you'd better have somebody to pick up the pieces.

You can hire entertainers, handymen, mechanics and guards.  Each have specific
duties (for an explanation, see People in the Park), but they're all there to help
things run smoothly.

To Hire Staff:

Left-click the Staff icon for the Staff Purchaser screen (see Purchaser Screens).

Alternatively, right-click the Staff icon for the Quick Menu.

To Place Staff in the Park:

Left-click a member of staff from the Quick Menu; they become attached to the
cursor.  Next, left-click once on the Park Screen for every worker in that category
you wish to employ.

Note:  The number by each staff member is their monthly wage, so remember that
staff are an ongoing expense.

Overview Map

A left-click to this icon brings up an overhead view of the entire park.  Use the
mouse to move the highlight box anywhere on the map, and then left-click.  You
return to the Park Screen at this new location.

Query Mode

Left-click the Query icon and the cursor becomes a question mark.  Move the cursor
over any ride, shop or staff member and left-click to activate the Tune-Up icons.
Depending on the object that has been queried, not all the Tune-Up icons will be
active (see Tune-Up icons).
Highlight a customer while in Query mode and a thought bubble appears indicating
their current state of mind.  Left-click and the thought bubble becomes permanent
(for more on thought bubbles and their meanings, see People in the Park).

Whenever anything is queried, its name appears in the text bar beneath the Tune-
Up icons.

Park Status Icon

The Park Status icon's smiley face reflects the mood of the park visitors, and the
shaded area of the box below indicates how full the next bus to arrive at the park
will be.  The thin red line spreading from the bottom right of the mood box shows
the area of the park occupied by the paying public.  When the whole box is filled in
red, your park is full to bursting.

Left-click the Park Status icon for the Park Status screen (see Using the Park Status
Screen).

Check Finances

Short on cash and want to get a bank loan?  Or just interested in the current state
of your Theme Park's finances?  Left-click this icon and the Bank Requester screen
appears (see Bank Requester Screen).

The figure beneath the icon is your current bank balance.  At the end of every
calendar month this figure is updated, with money coming in shown in black and
deductions displayed in red.

Right-click the Bank Requester icon for the Bank Statement screen (see Bank
Statement).


Hint

Reducing ride length increases the number of visitors who can use the ride, although
it risks their dissatisfaction.  Do this only when a popular ride has a long queue to
prevent people from drifting off.


Hint

Don't try and exceed the ride's maximum capacity, as set down on the Purchaser
Screen.






Hint

Clicking on the spanner icon instructs a mechanic to go and repair the ride.  When
there's a man on the job, the mechanic's head appears over the On/Off icon for a
brief moment.


Tune-Up Icons

When an object in the park has been queried, the Tune-Up icons on the far right
of the Icon Bar are activated.  These update you on the status of a ride, shop or
member of staff and let you fine tune their performance.

Information - this is the only Tune-Up icon for shops, and the only one common to
rides, shops and staff.  Left-click here for the relevant information screen (see
Information Screens).  This gives you vital facts about the status of any park utility,
and lets you alter certain key factors to maximise profitability.

Tune-Up icons specific to rides are, from left to right:

Timer - the whole hour glass is filled in red.  Right-click the icon and the sands of
time begin to run out, reducing the length of the ride with each click.  Left-click to
increase the length of the ride again when the queue has subsided.

Spanner icon - indicates how safe the ride is.  The higher the red bar, the more
dangerous the ride.  The state of repair of a ride is also affected by the numbers
using it and the ride speed.

Rider icon - adjust the number of punters you can cram onto a ride before it starts.
Left-clicks increase the number of people on the ride, right-clicks decrease it when
safety levels are being exceeded.

On/Off - turn a ride on or off with a click to this icon with either mouse button.
The light changes from green to red when a ride has been stopped.  The light is
replaced by a mechanic's head when a ride is under repair.

Ride Speed - right-clicks increase the revolutions per minute of your rides.  If things
become a little too exciting for the ride users and your park is in danger of drowning
beneath a sea of vomit, retard the ride's speed with left-clicks to this icon.  Chnages
to ride speed take immediate effect on the Park Screen.

Tune-Up Icons Specific to Staff are:

Pincer icon - left-click here and the cursor becomes a set of pincers with the queried
staff member attached.  You can now reposition them anywhere in the Park Screen
with a left-click.

Zone Route icons - set a specific route for a handyman to patrol (see Zoning Staff
Icons).
Repair icon - for mechanics only.  Left-click this and then left-click a ride in need
of some attention to send the queried mechanic to work.


Hint

A plume of smoke indicates when a ride is on its last legs.  If you don't respond
quicly enough, you can send some innocent punters into orbit - there ain't no smoke
without fire!


Using Quick Menus

There are quick menus for paths, rides, shops, park features and staff.  Right-click
their icon from the Icons Bar for the relevant quick menu.

All the amenities available to you in that category are displayed, along with the cost
of purchase.  As you highlight an amenity with the cursor its name appears at the
top of the menu.  A left-click selects the ride, shop, feature or member of staff to
be placed, and simultaneously closes the menu.

Resize a quick menu by holding down the left mouse button on the bottom right
hand corner, and then dragging the menu out to the desired size.  To bring the
menu up to maximum size, left-click the maximise icon top right.  To take the menu
down to minimum size, left-click the minimise icon adjacent to the maximising icon.
You can close a menu without selecting an amenity by left-clicking the menu's top
left hand corner.


Hint

Right-click the first section of track to change the orientation of the entrance.  You
can right-click as many times as you like to rotate the first section and build your
ride in a different direction.


User-Definable Rides

With User-Definable rides you get to design the ride for yourself, rather than just
place it in the Theme Park.  There are two kinds of User-Definable rides:  Raised
Track and Flat Track, and they're built using different methods.

Building a Raised Track Ride

Raised Track rides are the Roller-Coaster, Monorail and Big Dipper, all marked on
the Quick Menu by carriage icons.  Left-click the icon in the Quick Menu and the
first 5 sections of track appear, complete with entrace booth.  A left-click locks this
first section in place.

Note:                 You can't raise or lower the first pieces of any User-Definable ride.

Now scroll around the park and lay down the track with left-clicks, almost as if you
were laying a path.  Create hairpin bends or gentle curves as you see fit until you
complete the circuit.  Remove any rogue pieces of track that are heading in the
wrong direction with right-clicks.

Note:    If the Year End screen interupts the construction of a Raised Track ride, you
         must access the Ride Purchaser to complete a circuit of track.  Select the
         Track icon with a left-click, and when the action returns to the Park Screen
         you're then able to finish off your ride.

Adjusting Height

You can adjust the height of the Roller-Coaster and Big Dipper when a circuit has
been completed.  Left-click the base of a section of a track to elevate it one
increment, and continue to left-click until it reaches the desired altitude.

Right-click the base of a section to reduce height one increment at a time.  A right-
click at the lowest level removes that section altogether.

Note:  You can't adjust the height of the Monorail.

Modernising Raised Track Rides

To adjust the height of the Roller-Coaster and Big Dipper after opening, you need
to first stop the ride using the appropriate Tune-Up icon.  You can also Research
upgrades for the Roller-Coaster and Big Dipper, but again must stop the ride before
you can add them.

Add-ons include loops and corkscrews for the Roller-Coaster and a water splash for
the Big Dipper.  When add-ons are complete, they become available from the Quick
Menu.  Left-click its icon, and then move the pointer over the ride.  When you reach
a section of the ride that can accommodate the add-on, its icon appears.  Now
simply left-click.

Building a Flat Track Ride

The Flat Track rides are the Rubber-Tubing and Race Car ride, which have their
own icons.  Right-click the Rides Icon for the Quick Menu and select the desired
ride.  When completing a circuit of track, you'll notice that the entrance does not
come with the first section.  You must complete a circuit and then return to the
Ride Purchaser and select the Ride icon.  Having left-clicked the Tick icon, action
returns to the Park Screen and you can place the entrance booth as normal.

Note:    When connecting any User-Definable ride to the paths network, it's
         important to remember that the entrance to the ride is on the right, and the
         exit the left - you don't want people walking into one another as they try to
         get on and off your expensive new star attraction!
Ride Cost

The cost of User-Definable rides is calculated according to the number of sections
of track used to complete the circuit, and the height to which the track is elevated.

The current cost of the ride is displayed in the text bar beneath the Tune-Up icons.
Keep an eye on this figure and make sure you have the budget to cover it.  Only
when you open the ride to the public is the final price fixed.  So you can add and
take away, raise and lower sections of track to your heart's desire but are charged
only for the final number used in the ride.


Hint

Don't just open the park as soon as you've laid the first path.  It might seem an
attractive proposition to start earning money immediately, but you only end up
chasing after visitors, hurriedly laying paths and setting up rides.  Customers are
annoyed by the lack of facilities, and the bad word of mouth is hard to live down.


Open for Business

When your rides, shops and other amenities are ready and you want to start making
some money, open the park and let the people flood in.

To Open Your Theme Park either:

Left-click the park entrance (in Query or pointer modes only).

or

Press O on the keyboard.  Press O again to close the gates.

or

Use the Park menu in the Menu Bar at the top of the screen (see Using the Menu
Bar).

To Pause the Game:

Press P.Chapter 4:  People in the Park

The people that swarm around your Theme Park are divided into two basic groups:
staff and customers.  There's one vital difference between the two - you pay the
former, while the latter pay you.


Hint

The more your staff are paid the more enthusiastically they work for you, so the
worst member of staff is always the cheapest.  If you want your park to be the best,
don't be a cheapskate when it comes to hiring staff.


Staff

Staff are divided into four categories; entertainers, handymen, mechanics and guards.



Hint

When it's raining, entertainers had out umbrellas to customers to stop them rushing
off home, so group them around the park entrance during inclement weather.


Entertainers

These are Teddy Man, Shark Man, Squid Man, Strong Man, Chicken Man and
Rhino Man.  It must be sheer hell inside one of those suits and not easy to keep
smiling, but that's exactly what their job entails.  The more entertainers you have,
the more enjoyment customers get from their visit - kids especially love them.


Hint

Zoning the routes of handymen lets you use them more efficiently (see Zoning Staff
Routes).


Handymen

These are the guys who keep the park tidy.  If you're after the most attractive park
award they mow the grass, and keep the place being labelled a health hazard by
picking up burger wrappers, cola cups and other assorted litter.  Crucially, handymen
also keep the toilets spick, span and fit for human occupation.



Mechanics

When a ride malfunctions, it's going to become a danger unless there is a mechanic
to fix it.  They are responsible for maintenance of all the rides, and cordon off any
sub-standard attraction before setting to work fixing it, blow-torch in hand.

Fail to have enough mechanics and your park soon gets a reputation for
unreliability, damaging visitor numbers and gate receipts.  Mechanics can be diffcult
to motivate into responding quickly and are often at the centre of any industrial
dispute, but they're essential to the smooth running of your Theme Park.


Hint

It's extra important to look after your rides, because if the worst happens and one
actually explodes, not only are the people using it sent into low orbit (and after that,
they're likely to sue) but land damaged by the exploding ride can't be re-built on
afterwards.


To Repair a Ride:

Query a mechanic and left-click the Repair icon from the Tune-Up icons; the cursor
becomes a spanner.  Now left-click the broken ride and watch as a highly-skilled
mechanic rushes to repair it.  You can also Query the ride itself, and then left-click
the Spanner icon from the ride Tune-Up icons.

Guards

You may think evrything is going to be sweetness and light in your Theme Park, but
think again.  If you're lucky enough to be so successful that customers pour in,
you're going to need someone to take care of crowd control, re-directing lost visitors
onto the right path.  If you're unlucky and attract the wrong crowd, these are the
guys responsible for forcibly removing troublemakers from the premises.

Zoning Staff Icons

You can leave your handymen to meander around the park willy-nilly, but don't be
surprised if they're not where you want them at some crucial moment.  Instead, zone
the routes patrolled by handymen to make the most of the money you're paying
them.


Hint

Remember that you can't have too clean a park.  You need to hire a handyman for
every two or three shops that you open.


Hint

When the Research icon appears beside the Staff-Check icons and a bell rings, it
means that research on a new item has been completed.  Left-click this icon for
information on the new amenity.


To Zone Routes:

After employing a new handyman, left-click the Zone Route icon from the Tune-Up
bar; the Place Route and Cancel Route icons appear in the Tune-Up bar.  Now, left-
click the Place Route icon and the Zoning highlight appears.  Highlight additional
sections until the required route has been covered, and then left-click Confirm
Route.

To undo any zoning either now or at a later date, simply highlight the zoned area
as above and then left-click Cancel Route.

Staff Check Icons

Use the Staff-Check Icons in the top right of the Park Screen to keep an eye on
your employees.  There's a Staff-Check Icon for each category of employee within
the park except for guards, who remain static and so can't wander off.

Left-click to zoom the park view to the nearest staff memeber in that category;
repeated left-clicks let you check up on all of them.

Customers

The whole point of all this effort is to attract as many customers to your park as
possible, and to make sure that they're having such a good time they don't notice
how much money they're spending on rides, refreshments and souvenirs.

Customers come in all shapes and sizes, but you can alter the age range of the
people attracted to your Theme Park.  The bigger and faster the thrill rides, the
more youngsters are going to appear, but if you make the rides too death-defying,
a rabble of thrill hungry bikers could move in.  On the other hand, if the rides are
more sedate you begin to notice white hair and walking frames among the park's
visitors.  (For details on adjusting ride speed, see Tune-Up Icons).


Hints

Hell's Angels are attracted to parks with a bad reputation for cleanliness and no
guards, so to avoid problems with them keep your park up to scratch.




Thugs

When you see a bike load of heavies heading for the park, prepare for a rough ride.
They do everything possible to ruin the day for the rest of your customers.  They
pop balloons, steal food, beat up entertainers and smash rides.  Leave them too long
and they get in touch with their Hell's Angel pals and before you know it, the park's
overrun.

The only way to rid the park of this nuisance once it's arrived is to hire some guards
to forcibly eject troublemakers from the premises.  However, it's no use just
stationing guards at the park entrance as thugs can only be thrown out once they've
committed an offence.

Consumer Association Reps

If your park is developing a bad reputation, whether it be for high prices or poor
quality, spies from a consumer association infiltrate to check the place out.  They
can be spotted by a sharp-eyed park owner by the offical consumer association
clipboards they refer to as they exit every ride.  To beat the rap, make sure all shops
and rides they use are reasonably priced and in perfect working order.  That way
they eventually leave the park satisfied.

For information on recognising and responding to your customers' demands, see
Using The Park Status Screen.
Chapter 5:  Purchaser Screens

There are Purchaser Screens for Rides, Shops, Staff and Park Features.  Left-click
the relevant Control Bar icon, or access the Park Menu (see Park Menu) to bring
up Purchaser Screens.

Ride Purchaser

For detailed information on a ride, take time out to study the Ride Purchaser.

Single left-clicks to the Scroll icons take you forward and back through the rides one
at a time.  Left-click the Fast Scroll icons to zoom to the first and last rides in the
list.  The ride in the central window has its details displayed in the text box.

The Ride Purchaser tells you:

Ride Name and Version Number.

Ride Excitement - boost this for extra thrills or slow it down and ensure reliability.

Reliability - the less reliable the ride, the more often it's going to be shut down for
costly repairs.


Maximum Capacity - the more potential users, the shorter the period spent queuing
and the happier your customers are kept.

Ride Cost - anything from 2,000 to 200,000.  The cost of a ride is deducted at the
month end, so if you change your mind and remove a ride before a month is up, you
don't pay a penny.

Purchaser Screen Icons

Running down the right hand side of the Purchaser Screen are various icons.  Left-
click any one for further details.

Ride icon - a left-click takes you to the Ranking screen, where all your current rides
are ranked and rated (see Ranking Screen).

X icon - return to Park Screen without picking the selected ride.

Tick icon - returns you to the Park Screen with the chosen ride attached to the
pointer.

Shop and Side-Show Purchaser

This contains much the same information as the Ride Purchaser, and is operated in
exactly the same way.  However, it has different categories of information:

Type of goods sold - burgers from the burger stand, fries from the fries stand,
novelties from the novelty shop.  Get the idea?

If the highlighted shop is a side-show, this category is Addictiveness.

Stock price - the cost to you of the stock held by the shop.

If you're eying a side-show, this category tells you the value of the prize.


Hint

The key to maximising profit from food and drink shops is the adjustable category
each one contains.  Check out the information screen section for details.


Sale price - the price at which you sell stock to the public.  The difference between
these two is your profit margin.

Stock Control Bar - the amount of stock currently held by the shop, and how much
is on order.

Cost - what the shop or side-show will cost you to open in the first place.

For your delectation, here's a list of all the shops which could eventually be available
after sufficient investment in Research (see Research Department):

The shops with an asterisk (*) beside them need to be restocked at the Stock screen
from time to time (see Stock Screen).

Arcade                                             Duck ShootRace Track
Balloon World                      Gift Shop        Saloon
Big Time Burger*                Gun Shoot              Steak Restaurant
Big Time Fries*                  Ice Cream Stall*  Tin-Can Alley
Coconut Shy                              Novelty ShopToy Land
Coffee Shop                              Pokey Cola*


Hint
To offset any disappointment customers might feel at the slim chances of victory,
increase the value of the prize offered.


Side-Shows

If you're not careful you could end up paying through the nose for your side-shows.
But in the finest traditions of showmanship, you can also cheat and turn them into
nice little earners.  To do this, reduce the probability of a punter winning at the
information screen.  This increases the amount of glue keeping the coconuts in their
shy, and adds a few nails to the bottom of the cans in tin-can allye (see Information
Screens).

Staff Purchaser

On the staff Purchaser information includes:

Enthusiasm - rated in various categories.  The lower the rating, the more likely your
staff are to down tools and call a strike.  Low wages and poor conditions are the
factors which effect worker morale.

Cost to hire - present cost of hiring a staff member from a given category, 0-1000.

Monthly wage - you pay to hire them, and they want wages every month too!  Is it
any wonder you're losing your hair - they're bleeding you dry.

Features Purchaser

Only categorises Park Features according to the different costs involved.

Here's a list of all the Park Features with which you can eventually decorate your
Theme Park (once enough money has beenspent on Research):

Apple Tree                                 Oak TreeSpooky Tree
Birch Tree                                 Orange TreeSuper Toilet
Boggy Crapper                      Outhouse          Tropical Bush
Castle Wall                              Palm Tree Tree Stump Fence
Centre Fountain                  Pine Tree/Lamp    Weeping Tree
Lake                                                        Privet HedgeWhite Fence
Lamp Post                                    Rose Bush

Information Screens

Left-click the Information icon from the Tune-Up bar and the relevant information
Screen appears.  There are Information Screens for all rides, shops, the various
toilets, staff and customers.

Ride Information Screen

The categories of information available are:

Ride Cost - the amount each park visitor has to cough up to use the ride.

People Been on Ride - the total number of park visitors who've used the ride.  If
it's a popular item, it might be worth buying another one.

Excitement - a thrill or a bore?  Here's where you find out the score.

Reliability - assess how much work you can get from a ride before it needs repair.
Ride Capacity - increase or decrease this as you see fit with left-clicks to the up or
down arrows.

The icons on the right of the Ride Information Screen are:

Go To icon - left-click for the Ride Rankings screen, where you can compare the
performances of your park's rides (see Rankings Screens).

Move Entrance icon - reposition the entrance to a ride by left-clicking this icon.
The view returns to the Park Screen, where you can more effectively place the ride's
entrance and exit.

Tick icon - left-click this and it's back to the Park Screen.

Shop Information Screen

Query a Shop and the Tune-Up icons are replaced with a bar showing the volume
of stock remaining - the less green on show, the lower the stock volume.

At the Shop Information screen can find out:

Type of goods sold - to be frank, it should be pretty obvious from the name of the
shop.

Customers so far - just how popular are those burgers, fries, novelties, etc.

Stock price - when you still have some stock, the two figures tell you the number of
items and what each cost you.  When you're all out, you're just given the unit cost
for replacement stock.

Sale price - raise or lower the cost to the consumer with left-clicks to the left or
right arrows.

Food shops also have a unique category which allows you to alter food quality in the
quest for greater profits.  These are:

Big Time Burger - increase the amount of fat in the burgers to reduce your costs.
As the burgers are less filling, you might benefit from repeat purchases, or
customers might find them so revolting they'll refuse to buy another on principle.

Big Time Fries - pour extra salt onto fries and improve drink sales.

Pokey Cola - more ice means less cola in the carton, and lower overheads.

Ice Cream Stall - increase the amount of Sugar in the ice-cream to attract the kids
and keep them coming back for more.

Coffee Shop - hike up the amount of caffeine in your coffee to give drinkers a buzz
and get them moving around your Theme Park more quickly.
The icons on the right of the Shop Information Screen are:


Shop Rankings - left-click for the Shop Rankings screen, where you can compare the
performance of your park's shops (see Rankings Screens).

X icon - return to the Park Screen without taking into account any adjustments.

Side-Show Information Screen

Side-shows have separate categories of information.

Addictiveness - will the punters keep coming back for more?  Find out here.

Wins/punters - the number of people who've played who've been winners.

Probability of winning - left-click the left or right arrows to increase or decrease the
chances of a win.

Cost of prize - combine with the probability factor, and decide between lots of little
wins or a few big wins.  Left-click the arrows to adjust this figure.

Price per game - a really addictive side-show can be a nice little earner, especially
if you raise the price to an unacceptable level.  Left-clicks do the trick.

Staff Information Screen

The categories of information available here are:

Months employed - how long has this dead-beat been on the payroll?

Monthly wage - adjust this by left-clicking the up and down arrows.

The icons on the right are:

You're fired icon.

Go To icon - left-click here to centre the Park Screen on the queried staff member.

You're Fired icon - show ineffectual workers the door, and give them a helping boot
through it, by left-clicking this icon.

Staff Rankings - left-click for the Staff Rankings screen, where you an compare the
performance of your park's employees (see Rankings Screens).

X icon - a left-click here puts you back on the Park Screen, ignoring any changes
made.


Tick icon - left-click this to return to the Park Screen, where all adjustments take
immediate effect.


Hint

When you query a customer and they still have plenty of cash left, respond to their
immediate thoughts (see Thought Bubbles) and milk them of every penny.


Customer Information Screen

At the top of the screen is the (often unflattering) customer name.  The information
available on each punter is as follows:

Time spent in park - hours, minutes or days?  The longer, the better.

Number of rides been on - if the number's is low, it's because the rides are too full
or difficult to get to.

Boredom - this is key.  If there's one place on Earth you expect to be wide-eyed with
excitement, it's a Theme Park.  If your customers aren't, it's time to act.

Money remaining - customers can arrive with up to 2,000 burning a hole in their
pocket.  Don't let them leave with much of it remaining.

Tick icon - left-click this to return to the Park Screen.

Ranking Screens

Left-click the appropriate Ranking icon on the Information screen for the Ranking
screens.

Ride Rankings

Here all the rides in your park are listed and rated.

Ride Name - the name of the ride.  Duh.

Users - number of punters that have used the ride.

Ranking - rated according to popularity among the park's visitors.

The icons on the right hand side of the screen allow you to switch between ride,
staff and shop information.

Left-click up and down arrows to scroll through the list.

Left-click Sort Order to rank rides, shops and workers according to profitability.
Left-click the Information icon and it's back to the Information screen.

Go To icon - highlight a ride, etc from the list and then left-click here to jump to
this ride on the Park screen.

Left-click the Tick icon and you're back in the park.

Staff Rankings

On the Staff Rankings screen workers are rated according to:

Working - how hard a member of staff is working.  As with all percentages, it's 0-
100%.

Wage - however little you're paying them, you're going to think it's too much.

The icons on the right of the Staff Rankings screen work as per the Ride Rankings
screen.

Shop Rankings

This ranks shops according to:

Shop Name - not a tricky one this.

Profit - which of your retail outlets is making you the most money.

Sales - volume of sales.  If you're stilly only turning a tiny profit, it's time to increase
prices.

Takings - the amount of cash the tills have rung up.

The icons on the right of the Shop Rankings screen work as per the Ride Rankings
screen.
Chapter Six:  Using the Nemu Bar

The game date is constantly on display in the top left hand corner of the Park
Screen, but the top of the screen also hides the Menu Bar.  To activate this, move
the cursor to the top of the screen and right-click.  Three menu options are
revealed:  Park, Options and Display.

The Park Menu

With the Menu Bar activated, left-click Park for the Park Menu, highlight the
chosen option with the cursor and then left-click.  The Park Menu options are (key
commands in brackets):

Restart

Got off to a really bad start?  Restart the game with this option and you're returned
to the Park Screen.

Load

Highlight Load and the Saved Games window opens.  Scroll down with the mouse
to highlight the game you want to resume, 0-9.  Left-click and the Theme Park saved
to that slot immediately re-opens for business.

Save

Highlight Save and the Slot window opens.  Scroll down with the mouse to highlight
a vacant slot, 0-9.  Left-click now and all your hard work is safely preserved until
later.

Park Open (O)

Left-click Park Open, the main gates spring aside and the punters flood in.


Hint

Remember that fireworks cost you money like everything else.  Don't leave the
display to run and run because as the fireworks become more spectacular so they
cost you more money.


Firework Display (F)

Left-click to light up the night sky over your Theme Park with spectacular fireworks
to pull in the crowds.



Quit (Alt-Esc)

To Quit the current game and return to the Main Menu, highlight Quit and left-
click.

The Options Menu

A tick indicates which options are active.

Sound FX

Scroll down to highlight sound FX and then left-click to toggle ON or OFF.

Music

Scroll down to highlight Music and then left-click to toggle ON or OFF.

Advisor (forward slash)

You can turn off the Park Advisor by pressing forward slash on your keyboard.
Alternatively, highlight Advisor from the Park Menu and left-click.

Auto Buy Bus (Shift B)

Researching facility upgrades provides you with bigger buses, but you still need to
purchase the new model when it's made available.  Either left-click on the old bus
to achieve this, or make sure this option is activated.

Sandbox/Sim/Business

You can switch to an easier or more difficult version of the game at any time.
However, every time you drop a skill category you lose 10% of your bank account.
And just in case you were wondering, there's no subsequent increase in your bank
account should you move up a level.

Game Speed

Is all this frantic activity becoming a little too much?  Highlight Game Speed, scroll
right and left-click Slow.  Is the action just not coming thick and fast enough for
you?  Highlight Game Speed, scroll right and left-click Fast, or even Ultra if you're
barmy enough.  To return the game to normal speed, select Normal.

The Display Menu

Use this to toggle between screen modes and access all of Theme Park's Purchaser
screens.



Toggle Screen Mode (R)

Highlight Toggle Screen Mode with the cursor and left-click to switch between
normal and high-resolution modes.

Ride Purchaser

Highlight Ride Purchaser with the cursor and left-click.  The Ride Purchaser screen
appears (see Purchaser Screens).

Shop Purchaser

Highlight Shop Purchaser with the cursor and left-click.  The Shop Purchaser screen
appears (see Purchaser Screens).

Scenery Purchaser

Highlight Scenery Purchaser with the cursor and left-click.  The Scenery Purchaser
screen appears (see Purchaser Screens).

Staff Purchaser

Got the idea by now?  Highlight Staff Purchaser with the cursor and left-click.  Low
and behold, the Staff Purchaser screen appears (see Purchaser Screens).

Shop List (F5)

Highlight Shop List with the cursor and left-click for a look at all of your Theme
Park's shops.

Ride List (F6)

Highlight Ride List and left-click for a list of all the park's rides.

Staff List (F7)

Highlight Staff List and a left-click brings up a list of all the good fok you have
working for you.

Park Map

Want to enjoy the kind of view only a) a bird or b) someone looking through the
wrong end of a telescope from a hot-air balloon would normally enjoy?  Highlight
Park Map from the Display Menu and give the left mouse botton a good click.
Alternatively, simply left-click the Park Map icon from the Icon Bar.




Bank Requester

Highlight Bank Requester and left-click.  The screen that appears is identical to the
one that pops up by left-clicking the icon conveniently situated in the Icon Bar at
the bottom of the screen.

Bank Statement

You can also access this by right-clicking the Bank Requester icon from the Icon
Bar.

Park Status

As well as using the icon in the Icon Bar, you can also access the Park Status screen
by highlighting this option and left-clicking.

Stock Screen (Shift-S)0

Instead of accessing the Stock Screen via the Park Status screen, you can go direct
by highlighting this Display Menu option and then clicking the left mouse button.

Research Department (N)

Similar to Stock Screen in that a left-click to this option allows you to enter the
Research Department without opening the Park Status screen.

Game

Left-click here to return to the fun on the Park Screen.

Stock Market (Control-S)

To leap straight into action on the Stock Market without the necessity of going
through the Bank Requester, highlight this option and left-click.

World Map (M)

Take a look at the World Map by left-clicking here.

Make Things Tiny (Shift-T)

Left-click this option and reduce the size of everyone and everything in your Theme
Park to Lilliputian dimensions.  It's kind of fun, and actually has a useful function,
allowing you to accurately place rides, shops and staff in the park when thngs have
become congested.




Chapter 7:  Developing Your Park

It's not as if you haven't enough to be going on with at Sandbox level (see Your
Player Details), but Sim level introduces a whole new set of challenges.  Now you're
required to control the development of your park, responding to consumer needs
and controlling spending on stock and research.  There are tricky negotiations with
staff and suppliers to conduct - mess those up and it could cost you.

Park Status Screen

The Park Status screen is key to understanding the needs of your customers, and if
you don't keep them happy your park isn't going to last too long.

To access the Park Status screen:

Left-click the Status icon from the Icon Bar.

Using the Park Status Screen

At the top of the screen are two rows of little peeps.  The back row shows the % of
happy visitors, the % of undecided visitors and the % of unhappy visitors, with a key
to the different colours.  When more people leave your Theme Park dissatisfied than
happy, take it from me you're in a heap of trouble.

You are also told the number of people in the park, and the number due to arrive
on the next bus.

Thought Bubbles

The front row shows the thoughts of the park's visitors.  Beneath this is akey to what
each thought bubble means.  To scroll through the list, left-click the up and down
arrows.


Hint

A good Theme Park operator responds to his customers' needs - it's only good
business.  Visitors to your park give signals to show their level of satisfaction or
frustration.  If they're AOK, you'll see it in a hand signal.  One signal to pay close
attention to is yawning.  If park visitors begin to yawn, it's a clear sign that they're
not being entertained - and after all, entertainment is what they've come for.  Build
some new rides, beef up the ones you already have, but do something before bad
word of mouth destroys attendance figures and your park's reputation.


Use the icons on the right to access the Research and Stock screens with a left-click.

To return to the Park Screen, left-click the Tick icon.

Stock Screen

Not to be confused with the Stock Market, this is where you purchase all the stock
for your shops.

To access the Stock Screen:

Open the Park Status screen.

Next, left-click the Stock Screen icon and you're in the warehouse ready to fill it to
the brim with goodies.

At the top of the order form are the categories of stock available.  These are:  ice
cream, fries, colas, burgers, beer and steak.  The figure under each icon is how much
remaining stock you have in the warehouse in that category.

To place an order:

Left-click the category of stock you need.  Price per unit, amount in stock and
purchase volume figures change accordingly.

Adjust the volume of your order by clicking on the Place Order bar.  The number
of units in the order and the volume of order figures below the bar update
automatically.

Left-click Send Order to confirm purchase.

It takes a little while for stock to arrive.  As the pallet is lowered into the
warehouse, don't change the order.  If you do, the current order is cancelled and
you're back to square one waiting for the new shipment.  By that time the cupboard
could be bare, your customers might go hungry, and you're certainly going to miss
an opportunity to make some moolah.

All stock purchases are placed in the appropriate section of the warehouse; when
the boxes reach the ceiling there's no room for any more stock in that category.
Don't order too much stock as you're charged for any over-capacity and the goods
purchased are left to rot if there's no room for them.  Remember, though, that you
can increase warehouse capacity by researching facility upgrades (see Research
Department).

Note:          The only item of stock you don't have to buy is coffee, of which you
               have an inexhaustable supply.

When you're done ordering stock, left-click the Tick icon to return to the Park
Screen.




Hint

In the full business game you won't get any new rides unless you pump money into
Research.  And how are you going to hold your head up among your fellow Theme
Park owners with only a Bouncy Castle and a couple of slides in your park.


The Research Department

The secret laboratory of your Theme Park's Research Department is where you
inject much-needed cash into developing more amenities for your park.  New
attractions are the life blood of any Theme Park, so unless you invest you're soon
going to fall behind in the thrill stakes.  But research isn't only about the big rides;
you can invest in everything from new shops to better lavatories and bigger buses to
bring the punters to your door.  They're all vital to the success of your park.

To access the Research Lab:

Left-click the Research icon on the Park Status screen or press N.


Hint

Keep an eye on the amount you spend on research, as the money invested is
deducted from your bank account every single month.  And at a maximum of 10,000
a time, it soon adds up!


Funding Research

Adjust the amount of juice with the Research Pump.

Left-click along the length of the pump to alter the amount of red stuff in the tube,
or click and hold the left mouse button then drag the plunger up or down.  You can
also left- or right-click on the centre of the wheel to move the plunger in and out
and fine-adjust the amount of juice.

The figure on the left shows the amount per month you're investing in Research -
it changes as you alter the volume of juice.

The figure on the right is the amount you have remaining to distribute among the
Research Vats.  The two amounts are the same until you actually start doling out
the dosh.

Research Vats

There are six Research Vats, all thirsty for cash.  To divert money from the
Research Pump into the vats, left-click along the length of the Pump into the vats,
left-click along the length of the vat, or use the valve.
The Six Research Vats are for:

Upgrade Ride - Spend your money improving the rides already in the park.

New Ride Design - Invest in completely new ways to scare the living daylights out
of visitors to the park.

New Shop Design - Invest in completely new ways to wring every penny out of
visitors to the park.

Staff Training - Are your staff sullen?  Disorganised?  Lacking in motivation?
Improve the service they offer to customers by pouring money into this Research
Vat.

New Features - Say "goodbye" to the outhouse and "hello" to the Super Toilet.  You
can also develop more exotic plant life by spending money here.

Upgrade Facilities - Enlarge your warehouse to benefit from the economies of scale
you achieve buying in bulk, and get some bigger buses to bring in the crowds.

The Research Barometer attached to each vat shows how close the items being
researched are to completion.  The more white on show, the nearer you are to a
breakthrough.


Hint

When ride upgrades are complete, you'll notice the version number has gone up on
the Ride Information screen.  The maximum version number for each ride is 6.0.


The Research Graph beneath each tank fills up with small white dots.  When the
whole graph has turned white, you've achieved the maximum level of Research
possible from that vat.  However much more you spend, enhancements have come
to an end.

Leaving Research

To exit the Research Department and leavae the boffins to get on with it, left-click
the Tick icon and it's back to the park.

Negotiation Screens

You must negotiate with staff to settle industrial disputes, and with suppliers to
decide the cost of stock.  These negotiations occur when the Negotiation screens
appears.  The more staff and shops you have, the more regularly you need to enter
into negotiations for goods and services.


Staff Negotiations

As in the real world, sometimes all is not well between Theme Park management
and the workforce.  If your park's a hit, staff may want rewarding for helping you
to build a successful business.  And if staff numbers are low causing over-work,
anxiety and stress among the few whose wages you are willing to pay, they strike for
better conditions.

You sit on the left, across the table from the Staff Union organiser.  You both need
to shake hands over a new pay deal, tentatively extending a hand across the table
as you talk.  However, you must come to an agreement before the biscuits run out
or the negotiations fail, putting the success of your Theme Park in jeopardy.

To raise your offer:

As the seconds tick rapidly away, left-click ahead of the outstretched hand to raise
your offer a single percentage point at a time.

Note:          Don't raise your offer too quickly or by too much.  The Union man
               can smell fear on you like cheap aftershave and won't drop the
               workers' pay demands a single penny.  Take it slow and don't lose
               your head.

To lower your offer:

Left-click behind the outstretched hand to reduce your offer a point at a time.

Make, break or strike

If you're bargaining is successful, an onscreen message informs you of how much the
union took you for, and the new monthly wage figure for each category of worker.

Left-click now to return to the Park Screen.

If you fail to make a settlement, the Negotiations Failed message appears.  Click the
left mouse button and the action returns to the Theme Park screen where your staff
leave en masse via the main gate and picket anyone attempting to enter.  It's not the
best publicity for your park, and when a ride malfunctions or the litter mounts up
you're going to start losing money hand over fist.  Far better to make a wage
settlement while you can.

Goods Negotiations

Goods Negotiations are performed in exactly the same way as Staff Negotiations and
the penalties for failing to make a deal are just as severe.  Unless both parties leave
the table happy before the biscuits have all been dunked and munched, no goods are
delivered to your Theme Park's shops!


Note:          Every time you fail in your negotiations, the asking price for goods
               goes up by 10%

Chapter 8:  The Financial Sector

Choose Full from the Your Player Details screen (see Your Player Details) and
enter the Financial Sector.  The full burden of responsibility for every financial
transaction made on behalf of the Theme Park now falls to you.  This not only
means regular checks on your bank balance and bank statements, but you're also
going to get your feet wet dealing in shares.  There are profits to be made, but
there's also the chance of your precious Theme Park being bought right out from
under you.

Bank Requester Screen

Regular visits to the Bank Requester screen, however daunting, are esssential to the
effective financial control of the Theme Park.  You may have had unpleasant
experiences at the bank, sat in an uncomfortable leather chair while the beady eye
of the man who holds the purse strings bears down on you.  But fear not - the
Theme Park bank manager is cut from very different cloth.  He puts you in touch
with the financial realities in no uncertain terms (and the grimmer the reality, the
less uncertain the terms become), but he also gives you invaluable advice that could
save your park and keep you solvent.

Using the Bank Requester Screen:

Left-click the Bank icon from the Icon Bar for the Bank Requester screen.

The graph shows your park's balance, based on overheads against income.  Listed
next to the vertical axis of the graph are the different financial results that can be
looked at.  Along the horizontal axis are increasing time periods that allow a long
term financial forecast, 1, 12 and 48 years ahead.  Left-click a box to add
information to the graph.  Left-click again to remove information.

Beneath the graph are listed:

Available Cash - the money you have instantly available for new rides, shops and
staff.

Park Value - the market worth of your Theme Park once the current price of all the
shares have been evaluataed.  When you begin Theme Park this figure is (not
surprisingly) zero.

Current Loan - increase the amount you owe the bank with a left-click to the up
icon.  If you're feeling a bit flush and park profits have increased, you may want to
reduce your loan and cut down on interest payments.  Left-click the down arrow and
the loan figure drops accordingly.

Ticket Prices - the mainstay of your park's profitability.  Left-click the up or down
arrow to raise or lower them.  The Park Advisor gives hints on when to do this.


The icons to the right of the graph are as follows:

Statement - left-click here for a look at the Statement Screen.  This doesn't just say
'Your Park's doing rubbish', or anything like it.  Instead the Statement Screen gives
you a breakdown of every financial transaction made during the previous month.
It makes interesting reading.  When you've seen enough, left-click the Tick icon to
return to the Bank Requester.

Shares - left-click here to join the bulls and bears on the financial market at the
Stock Market (see Stock Market).

X icon - left-click this to return to the Park Screen without taking any of the
adjustments you've made into account.

Tick icon - returns you to the Park Screen, where any adjustments come into
immediate effect.

Stock Market

At the Stock Market you can buy shares in other parks, take advantage of their
success and use any profits from your share dealings to build up your own park.
You can also defend your Theme Park from unfriendly take-over bids by rival park
owners; if someone is getting far too larage a chunk of your park, get bullish on the
Stock Market and see them off.  Remember, the more shares in your park that get
bought up, the more of your hard earned profits are lost paying dividends.

Left-click the Shares icon on the Bank Requester Screen to get involved in some
financial wheeler-dealing.

On the right of the Shares Statement is a list of all the park owners.  The arrow by
each name indicates whether the share price is rising, falling or static.  A yellow
page means that shares are available, a white page that you already own shares in
a park, and a red page that this park owner has shares in your park.

Left-click a name and details are displayed on the Shares Statement.  The central
bar shows the park owner name and figures for bank balance, the availability of
shares and their total value.  Above this on the green half of the screen are the
names and financial details of those who own shares in this park.  Below this on the
pink half of the screen are the details of shares owned by the highlighted park
owner.

Buy!Buy!Buy!

Choose an attractive prospect from the list of park owners on the right and left-
click; details appear on the shares statement along with the number of shares
available and their total value.  If there are shares available, left-click the Buy
Shares icon once for each share you wish to purchase.


Notice how your own details are added to the list of Share Owners (or updated if
you already have shares in this park) on the top half of the Shares Screen.

Sell!Sell!Sell!

Choose a name with a white page by it from the list on the right; details appear in
the central box of the shares statement.  Notice how your own name is listed along
with other share owners in the top half of the screen.

Left-click the Sell Shares icon and the number and value of shares available in this
park increases.  The number and value figures by your own name in the green half
of the Shares Screen simultaneously falls.  However, much needed funds are being
added to your bank balance all the time.

When you're done with share dealing, left-click the Tick icon to return you to the
Park Screen.
Chapter 9:  Year End Charts

The Overall chart appears automatically at the end of every financial year, and
allows you to see how your park has progressed during the previous 12 months.  It
takes the form of a mantelpiece on which all the cups and certificates awarded to
your park are displayed.  The Top Ten parks are also ranked.  You must achieve the
number 1 position overall to have succeeded in your aim of building the world's
ultimate tourist attraction.

Left-click a cup or certificate for details of the award.  A cup means your park
provided the best service in the world in that category during the previous year.  A
certificate means your park was highly regarded.

When you've seen enough, left-click Tick for the Year End Details screen.
Alternatively, left-click the Ratings icon for a look at the Ratings Chart.

Red Letter Days

If you click a certificate for a close-up look and it's written in red ink, the park's in
trouble!  Red writing indicates that your Theme Park was severely deficient in some
aspect of its operations.  Take note of your shortcomings and sort them out during
the next year, or you're never going to be number 1.

Ratings Chart

Left-click the Ratings icon for the Ratings Chart.  Here your Theme Park is rated
against every other in six categories:

Richest

Exciting

Amenities

Satisfaction

Biggest

Pleasant

Study the position of your park in all six categories to find out where it's deficiencies
lie and how you can improve the Overall position over the coming fiscal year.

Left-click the Tick icon to return to the Overall chart.





Year End Details Chart

Left-click the Tick icon on the Overall chart for the Year End Details.  This chart
compares your Theme Park's results over the last two financial years in the following
categories:

Park Value

Share Value

Loan

Maximum Loan

Takings

Expenses

Dividends In

Dividends Out

Land Tax

If the park value is sufficient, you are also given the options of selling it off at
Auction.  Left-click the Auction box to initiate this (see Auctions).

When you've finished at the Year End Details screen, left-click the X icon and its'
back to the Park Screen for another year of big business decision-making.

Auctions

At the end of each year you have the option to sell your Theme Park at Auction -
if it's reached the minimum value.

Left-click the Auction option on the Year End Details screen, and then sit back and
watch the bidding while the seconds tick away.

With the money made by selling off this Theme Park, you have the opportunity to
start afresh in a new location.  But if there are no takers, it's back to the Park
Screen.

Bankruptcy

When the value of all the shares and stocks in your park won't cover the cost of
loans, any interest you owe, debts to the bank and the œ20,000 leeway you're given,
you are legally declared bankrupt.  The park has to close, your life's work collapses
around you, and there's only one honorouble way out.

It's a long way down.