Putting It Together

Construction and management simulations seldom have splashy graphics, pounding music, or moments of high drama (except when disaster strikes). Instead, they call for observation, contemplation, and planning. To many gamers, that sounds terribly dull. Yet good CMSs are enormously popular and can make fortunes even without the latest 3D graphics. RollerCoaster Tycoon was a perfect example. What appeals about a CMS is not an adrenaline rush, but the fact that the player gets to make something of his own. Working carefully , tending and tweaking, he can build a tiny settlement on the banks of the Tiber into the glorious city that was Rome. Not the original Rome or the game designer's Rome, but his Rome ”Rome as it would have been if he had been emperor. That's a different kind of achievement from blasting all the aliens in sight or winning a sports championship. The desire to create is at the heart of all CMS players. To design a CMS, first understand that desire .