Originally published on www.game-interviews.com

Tropico Interview with Phil Steinmeyer

After the huge success that was Railroad Tycoon II, PopTop Software went back to design an original title. That title is Tropico, where you are the dictator leading your country/island to riches or shambles. At it's core it's a building game but it's really so much more. And there's no one we'd rather have discuss Tropico than Phil Steinmeyer, who gives us the details on the gameplay, depth, and dynamics. Take it away Phil...

Hi, could you state you name, position, and tell us about yourself and your gaming habits?

Phil Steinmeyer: Phil Steinmeyer, president, programmer/designer, and occasional urinal puck replacer at PopTop Software. I'm a hard core strategy gamer - that's about 80% of what I play. I also play some RPGs, and occasionally dabble with action and console games.

What's the premise of behind Tropico? Where does its appeal lie?

PS: Tropico is a builder game at it's core where a player takes the role of dictator on a fictitious Caribbean island (ala Cuba) and must guide his nation to prosperity and happiness by balancing the social, industrial and political needs of the island.

Can you describe the basics behind Tropico? When players pick up the game and play what will they be doing?

PS: The player will decide when and where to build the physical infrastructure like housing, roads and industries to promote prosperity and fund further development. Equally important, the player needs to decide which laws to pass, buildings to build and issues to address in an effort to keep the islands population under his/her control. If you succeed, your island will prosper and your reign will continue. If you fail, the people will rise up and remove you from office, violently.

Unlike most builder styled games the inhabitants of the Tropico world are active, thinking elements of the game and respond to your rule immediately and individually. The people are not dumb 'grunts' that you tell what to do. You can't click and point a Tropican into a job or an opinion, they need to be coaxed and encouraged.

Where did the idea for Tropico come from? Did you always want to be a dictator?

PS: Tropico was an idea that I'd kicked around for a number of years. The politics and atmosphere of the Latin American banana republics had always held some fascination for me and this was a perfect outlet.

How have the dynamics of a country's economy, politics, people, and much more been implemented into Tropico?

PS: Tropico tracks a great number of individual characteristics for each Tropican on the island including: name, age, job skills, family, income, political interests (military, religious, socialism, capitalism & foreign relations), entertainment, hunger & courage to name a few. All these are influenced by your choices as ruler and determine the Tropican's overall happiness/anger towards you and your regime.

Environmentally, we track weather patterns and rainfall on the island as well as mineral deposits and elevation to determine crop viability and mineral composition. These then influence which industries and crops will be used to fuel your political machine. We have 8 crop types, each with distinct food and cash values and industries that can be built to improve export value and provide jobs i.e. sugar cane has low food value but good export value but if you supply the sugar cane to your rum distillery (which you must build and staff) you can export the rum for even more money. Industries will have upgrade paths to improve profitability or production as well as adjustable wage and staffing numbers. There is also an entire tourism industry set from which to choose to "harvest" yanqui dollars.

What has been with the AI? Can you take us through some of their decision-making structures?

PS: The Tropican's make decisions much as a real person does. A Tropican will live in the best house that's available and that he or she can afford. He/she will probably find a spouse and raise a family at some point. Tropicans look for the best job that they're qualified for, preferably one that's fairly close to home. If another job opens nearby with significantly better pay, they may switch jobs (though the longer they've been at their current job, the less likely they are to switch).

Tropicans have deep seated political attitudes that affect their views of you, their ruler. Leftists will like socialist leaders, deeply religious Tropicans will look favorably on leaders who share their views, etc. Even if a Tropican is unhappy, most of them are unlikely to take any immediate action (who wants to risk jail or death?), but there are always a few gutsy individuals more likely to take a stand if they're upset with the government. These leaders can inspire action by more timid Tropicans. Throw the leaders in jail first!

What can you tell us about the aura's buildings give off? How does it change and add to gameplay?

PS: Buildings have areas of influence, auras. These act as modifiers to the inhabitants who are within the aura. Example would be a radio station playing marching music would help improve those inhabitants who are partial to the military and hurt those who oppose the military. The people of Tropico also have auras. Thus a particularly charismatic individual will have a larger aura than an un-charismatic individual. Depending on this persons interests and general attitude they will modify, at least momentarily, those individuals within his/her aura.

By laying out your city properly you can focus the type and amount of influence you project base on your needs. Placing a radio station out side of the range of the bulk of your people will have little to no impact; however proper placement can have enormous benefits.

Thanks for taking time to chat with us. Any last words?

PS: Nope, the questions were pretty thorough.