Chris Sawyer's Locomotion
Chris Sawyer's Locomotion | ||
---|---|---|
Composer(s) Allister Brimble[1][2] | John Broomhall David Punshon Scott Joplin | |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows | |
Release | September 2004 | |
Genre(s) | Business simulation | |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Chris Sawyer's Locomotion (often abbreviated to Locomotion) is a
Locomotion was released to mixed reviews, with critics observing the game had a dated presentation for the time and was less user-friendly than its predecessors. Following an extended hiatus from the video game industry, the game was re-released by Sawyer in 2013 as a mobile iteration of Transport Tycoon for Android and iOS. Locomotion has also since been the subject of open-source redevelopment by third parties.
Gameplay
Locomotion is an isometric transport
Locomotion contains over 40 scenarios in which players compete with rival companies to create successful networks and meet various objectives, such as finishing in a certain ranking in the list of companies, or transporting a specific amount of cargo of a resource. Scenarios are based on five difficulty levels: Beginner, Easy, Medium, Challenging and Expert, and are based on fictional and real-world locations, including the United States, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The game also contains a scenario editor to allow players to create and modify the game's scenarios and create custom maps. Scenarios in Locomotion also supports online multiplayer for two players, which plays identically to single player scenarios except with minor restrictions to speed controls.[6] The game also features a hidden train driving mode in which players can perform a keyboard command to assume control over the trains in the game.[7]
Development and release
Locomotion was developed by
Locomotion was released in September 2004, following a preview by Atari at E3 in May of that year.[8] The game is the only title released by Sawyer to use his name in the title of the game. Sawyer stated that the use of his name in the title of Locomotion was used to address "possible legal issues with using the name on its own...which also suited the PR people as they felt it might make it easier to promote the game having my name prominently displayed." Sawyer stated that Locomotion was the game he was "most proud of" creating, assessing the game as "the best-written piece of programming I've ever done," citing the plug-in and multiplayer capabilities of the game.[9]
Following an extended hiatus from development, in 2013, Sawyer released an
Reception
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Computer Gaming World | [12] |
GameSpot | 6.8[13] |
GameSpy | [14] |
IGN | 5.8[15] |
Jeuxvideo.com | 3/20[16] |
PC Zone | 50%[17] / 37%[18] / 62%[19] |
Reviews of Locomotion were generally mixed, with review aggregator
Several critics expressed that Locomotion's visual presentation was dated at the time of release. Writing for
Critics also identified the game's interface and navigation as a hindrance to gameplay. Writing for Computer Gaming World, Di Luo stated the game's presentation was "cumbersome", observing that the game's "map rotation isn't effective enough to let you see everything...finding the correct sources of and destinations for raw materials can be infuriatingly difficult."[12] Dan Adams of IGN described the game as an "exercise in frustration, (with) a frustration informational interface (and) frustrating construction interface", stating "sorting through (maps) and finding the information you want can be a chore" and "it's really difficult to judge where tracks and roads need to go to connect."[15] Jason Ocampo of GameSpot stated construction was largely "trial and error" and a "frustrating experience...mainly due to the fact that you can't completely undo the mistakes you'll often make."[13]
Retrospective reception
Retrospective assessments of Locomotion have been more forgiving than contemporary reviews, whilst noting the game was a disappointment. Retro Gamer stated that the game was "the most complete version of Transport Tycoon, even if it wasn't named as such. It wasn't as well received...with most complains surrounding the UI, but a heap of improvements made for a solid addition to the concept all the same."[3] In a retrospective of the Tycoon series of games developed by Sawyer, Connor Christie of Pocket Tactics stated "Locomotion didn't prove to be the reinvigoration of the Transport Tycoon Sawyer was hoping for."[21] Owen Faraday of Wired similarly stated the game "drew a tepid reception from critics and fans alike, perhaps a sign that Sawyer's full attention couldn't be brought to bear on the (game)."[11]
Legacy
In January 2018, the open-source project OpenLoco was launched to enhance the gameplay of Locomotion. The project aimed to fixing bugs, translating the game to more languages, and allowing the game to run natively on macOS and Linux, as well as minimise limitations in the original game, including greater options for gameplay features, such as to disable vehicle breakdowns, unlocked building options, and support for custom resolutions.[22]
See also
- Rollercoaster Tycoon
- Transport Tycoon
References
- ^ "Portfolio". Orchestral Media. Orchestral Media Developments. 4 October 2008. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ^ "Customer Support, Technical Support, Game Enquiries". Chris Sawyer Software Development. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
Cinematic orchestral music for video games by Allister Brimble and Anthony Putson. Allister created the music and sound effects for RollerCoaster Tycoon 1 & 2, and Chris Sawyer's Locomotion.
- ^ a b c Barnes, Adam (September 2016). "In the chair with Chris Sawyer". Retro Gamer (138): 92–97.
- ^ a b Callaham, John (21 September 2004). "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion Interview". HomeLAN. Archived from the original on 2004-10-09.
- ^ a b c d Gamespot Staff (2 April 2004). "RollerCoaster Tycoon designer offers first details on new title". GameSpot. Archived from the original (Interview) on 7 October 2009.
- ^ a b c Chris Sawyer's Locomotion: Game Manual. Atari. 2004.
- ^ "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion - Train Driving Mode!". Chris Sawyer. 2005.
- ^ Goldstein, Hilary (3 May 2004). "Pre-E3 2004: Atari's Games". IGN.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (3 March 2016). "A big interview with Chris Sawyer, the creator of RollerCoaster Tycoon". Eurogamer.
- ^ Brookes, Tim (14 October 2013). "Transport Tycoon Review: Infrastructure Has Never Been So Fun". MakeUseOf. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ a b Faraday, Owen (20 September 2013). "Enigmatic developer Chris Sawyer on remaking Transport Tycoon for mobile devices". Wired.
- ^ a b Luo, Di (December 2004). "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion". Computer Gaming World. No. 246. p. 103.
- ^ a b c Ocampo, Jason (9 September 2004). "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2004-09-29.
- ^ a b c Rausch, Allen (21 September 2004). "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion". GameSpy.
- ^ a b c d Adams, Dan (5 October 2004). "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion". IGN. Archived from the original on 2004-10-18.
- ^ "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion". Jeuxvideo. 16 September 2004.
- ^ a b "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion". PC Zone (149): 90. December 2004.
- ^ Sefton, Jamie (May 2005). "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion". PC Zone (154).
- ^ "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion". PC Zone (195): 91. July 2008.
- ^ "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ "The lost legacy of RollerCoaster Tycoon". Pocket Tactics. January 2023.
- ^ Dawe, Liam (24 February 2021). "OpenLoco is a free and open source re-implementation of Chris Sawyer's Locomotion". Gaming on Linux.