Tropico Announced

[Gobalopper]

PopTop has just announced their newest game, Tropico. I have included the press release below and you can check out the two screenshots here and here. I should have a page setup later tonight with more.

Gathering of Developers to Publish 3D Building, Strategy and Simulation Game on Multiple Platforms

Dallas, TX, March 06, 2000 Computer game developer PopTop Software today announced the development of TROPICO, a 3D building, strategy/simulation game for the PC and Macintosh computers and Sega Dreamcast.

Tropico takes the addictive building gameplay style of PopTop's hugely successful Railroad Tycoon II and adds a hearty helping of Latin American political intrigue to create an absorbing gaming experience.

Developer-driven computer and video game publisher Gathering of Developers will publish Tropico in late 2000 for the PC and Macintosh computers and in early 2001 for Sega Dreamcast.

"PopTop specializes in creating 'virtual world' replicas of real life," said Phil Steinmeyer, CEO of PopTop. With Tropico, we will provide gamers with a slice of political life, topsy-turvy third world leaders and the nations they rule, pitting the rich against the poor, the army against the church, and natives versus outside carpetbaggers.

In Tropico, players take on the role of a newly instated leader of a remote Caribbean island and are challenged to build a path of progress for a nation

mired in poverty, civil unrest and infighting. Based on their economic vision, gamers build hotels, mines, factories, and over 100 other structures.

Diplomacy and politics will factor heavily in Tropico, as players must pacify various internal factions and external threats. If the island's growth is well planned, the player will have plenty of money to buy the peoples' favor and ensure prosperity. If growth is poorly planned and the economy falters, the population may revolt, forcing the player to institute martial law.

PopTop has an incredible knack for envisioning and developing games that combine historical authenticity with imagination," said Harry Miller, president of Gathering of Developers. "Railroad Tycoon II was tremendously successful, and we believe Tropico, with its unique storyline, setting and engrossing gameplay, will be another prized PopTop title.

Tropico is based on an improved version of PopTop?s proprietary S3D engine allowing for highly detailed 3D graphics and renderings. The S3D engine was initially used in Railroad Tycoon II. The engine will support hardware acceleration, variable resolution support from 640 x 480 up to 1600 x 1200 and variable color depth support from 8-bit to 32-bit color.

Based in Fenton, MO, computer game developer PopTop Software was founded in 1993 by programmer and game designer Phil Steinmeyer. After working with New World Computing on three titles from 1993 through 1996, PopTop began developing Railroad Tycoon II in 1997. Released in November 1998, Railroad Tycoon II has received rave reviews from the press and the gaming industry, and is a bestseller worldwide. In April 1999, Railroad Tycoon II: The Second Century, the expansion pack to the 1998 computer game hit, was released to stellar reviews. Railroad Tycoon II: Gold Edition, a complete collection of the Railroad Tycoon II series plus additional scenarios, was released in August 1999. The company is currently developing Tropico, a building-oriented strategy-simulation game.

Founded in Dallas, TX in January 1998, Gathering of Developers is a developer-driven computer and video game publishing company. The company's mission is to be the worldwide leader in the development and delivery of commercially successful computer and video game software designed for a range of platforms. The company's pioneering partners are industry leaders and proven hit makers 3D Realms, Epic Games, PopTop Software, Ritual Entertainment, Terminal Reality Inc and Edge of Reality. For more information visit Gathering of Developers' Web site at

http://www.godgames.com.